According to the Northern Elders Forum, certain politicians in Northern Nigeria are allegedly buying PVCs (permanent voter cards) for N2,000 (NEF).
NEF spokesman Hakeem Baba-Ahmed claimed in a statement earlier this week that the action was an attempt to weaken the voting power of northerners.
Baba-Hamed claims that people who purchase PVCs are doing so on behalf of political parties seeking to sway votes in places where specific candidates stand to gain or lose the most.
“Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed what the public has been aware of in the last few weeks. This is the widespread and targeted buying of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in many parts of the North and a few other parts of Nigeria,” the statement reads.
“Northern Elders Forum (NEF) followed this worrying phenomenon, advising community leaders and major stakeholders on the dangers of disenfranchising many citizens.
“We have also undertaken our investigations, which prompt this public warning.
“Thousands, or possibly millions of Northern voters, particularly women, are being made to surrender their PVCs for a pittance, in most instances not more than N2000 Naira. Sometimes, they are told their cards will be returned to them after they are processed for additional payments as poverty relief. No cards are returned.
“Our investigations suggest that this an aggressive and blatant voter suppression attempt to reduce the voting powers of the North.
“INEC has assured us that this practice will not compromise its systems and processes.
“People involved in this practice appear to be working for different parties, but they target communities where they assume their parties or candidates have comparative advantages or disadvantages.
“To sell your card or vote in next year’s elections is to betray your responsibility to improve our circumstances and future.
“Every Northerner should know that our voting population and turnout during elections are the only powers we have left, but we can use them to affect who will lead us at the next elections.
“Voters from other parts of the country are jealously guarding their voting opportunities. Our relative poverty now is no excuse to surrender the opportunity to improve our future.”
The NEF called on INEC to “intensify its public awareness campaign against this dangerous threat”.