President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to get their permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) and vote whoever they want in next year’s elections.
Buhari, who himself is seeking re-election, stated this when he hosted judges at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday night.
He attributed his victory in the 2015 elections to technology and urged governors to continue with voters’ education.
“I find it necessary to invite you because I don’t normally see you. I have to repeat what I said having heard what you said.
“I mentioned that when I was in the military and much younger, we believed things were going wrong and so when I came, I took from the president downwards, to Kirikiri against your advice and told them that they are guilty until they prove themselves innocent.
“But we proceeded to have various tribunals to investigate and I can still remember extremely good and fantastic Nigerians, they are few in the society that is why we don’t see the impact of fantastic people we have.
“I decided to put agbada and come back, I tried three times and then fourth time I eventually made it. Thanks to God and thanks to technology because this permanent voters’ card and card readers are fantastic. Those who went to their polling booths in their constituency and voted, their votes counted.
“Before, votes were disregarded and results written and there was nothing you can do before the justices to proof your case. But now with technology it has been made easy. That is why I keep appealing to the governors to embark on voters education, to please tell the people that their voters card is their national card so to speak.
“Let them vote for anybody they want across ethnicity and religion… I think that is why I am calling on and I am begging the governors to please continue with voters education so that people will take their permanent voters card seriously and make sure that they don’t loose it.
“I am bothering you with this because you are in a position of influence and you come from a constituency that is recognized and what you say will mean a lot to the people at your constituency,” Buhari said.