By Terfa Naswem
There are numerous allegations against President Muhammadu Buhari and his cohorts to have perfected plans to return back to power in 2019 against all odds after observing that the overwhelming support Nigerians gave to him in the 2015 general election has waned seriously.
From my investigation, I realized that there are some factors that will push Buhari through in 2019 presidential election no matter the number of votes that might be cast against him.
There are five basic factors that will make Buhari to return to power in 2019 general election and these factors are instrumental to determine how the elections go and who emerges winner.
These factors are: the high rate of influx of foreign Fulani from Niger and other neighbouring African countries into Nigeria; INEC registration of under-aged voters in the North; slow Voters’ registration in North-central and many southern states; voter apathy towards elections by many North-central Nigerians and Southerners and those who love him.
My sources in the Immigration in Katsina and Sokoto States have reliably told me that the rate of influx of Fulani from Niger into Nigeria is very alarming: the number is estimated at over 1 million. In fact, they said most of them have already registered for their National Identity Cards including Permanent Voters Cards specifically for 2019 general election. More than 500,000 foreign Fulani from Niger have been registered by INEC in Northern States mostly in Katsina and Sokoto. It is believed that before the voters’ registration ends, over 2 million foreigners who are Fulani from Niger and other African countries might have illegally entered Nigeria and over 1 million might have registered for their National Identity card and got their PVCs. This will give Buhari an edge over those contesting against him.
My sources in INEC in Katsina and Sokoto also confirmed that under-aged Voters’ registration is ongoing not only in these states but in other Northern States as well. They said when some of them refused to register such under-aged people, they were threatened and decided to do as they wanted. This will give Buhari an edge over those contesting against him.
Recently, HOPE FOR NIGERIA an Online Human Rights and Social activism platform accused Buhari and his cohorts that:
“ INEC Recruited and Registered 471,000 Niger Republic Voters for the 2019 Presidential Election. These people were issued Nigerian Residence cards back in their country and paid to relocate.
Majority of them are moved to Southern Kaduna, Jos North and other parts of Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba, Benue, Kogi, Umuahia (Abia), Okigwe (Imo), Adamawa, Lagos, Ebonyi, Enugu, Edo North and few other areas.
Majority of Nigerians are denied the opportunity to get registered and millions can’t get their voters card as they were deliberately hidden by INEC officials especially in Lagos, Abuja and Kaduna.
With the reported 4.3million under-aged voters deliberately registered by INEC, it is certain that Buhari and INEC are not ready for a fair election in 2019”.
These are very serious allegations against President Buhari and the Federal Government that should be seriously investigated by government and non-government organisations for appropriate action to be taken.
I was in Afikpo South in Ebonyi State; Obudu, in Cross River State; Vandeikya, Gboko and Makurdi in Benue State and Jos North and South in Plateau State and have seen that the rate at which the Voters’ registration is going is not encouraging as registration devices and equipment have not been sufficiently sent to these areas among others. This is a serious setback to speedy registration as the registration process in these areas is extremely slow which in the end might lead to few people being registered. This will give Buhari an edge over those contesting against him.
Voter apathy is a very serious factor that affects the electoral process. Voters in North-Central and the South are not committed to the electoral process like those in the North. For example, a voter in Katsina State can queue up for hours to vote and can wait patiently. But such is lacking among many voters in the other parts of Nigeria. In fact, many in other parts of Nigeria have refused to even register while some have registered but refuse to turn out to vote during elections. This will also give Buhari an edge over those contesting against him.
Apart from these, there are many other Nigerians both in the North and South who are ardent supporters of Buhari, who love him and are prepared to vote for him in 2019. This group are those who are acting based on their personal conviction about Buhari which make him to also have an edge over those that will be contesting against him.
These are the factors I have seriously perceived that will make President Buhari to push through in 2019 presidential election against all odds. Unless something extraordinary happens, with all these factors, Buhari is already the winner in next year’s Presidential election.
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