By Chinedum Treasure
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Ben Uzuegbu has reacted on the bill by House of Representatives to compel citizens to vote, saying the bill negated the fundamental human rights of the people.
Speaking with reporters in Onitsha, Uzuegbu queried how the bills could stand the test of fundamental rights of individuals such as freedom of thought, conscience and religion, association, movement, among others.
He argued that there might be those who would be sick on election day or those who might not have transport money having been impoverished by the system.
“How can you force me to vote for the candidates that do not meet up with my standard? I rather keep my conscience.
“I may consider the qualities of candidates A and B not good enough in an election to attract my votes and therefore decide not to vote for either of them.
“There may be people who would be sick on the day of the election or poor and might not have the transport money because the system has impoverished them. Will they also be forced to vote or be jailed?
“In civilised climes like Australia, the State take care of the citizens, make provisions for them, even unemployed citizens don’t lack anything.
“When they quote Australia, they would not tell you that they pay unemployed citizens. If you are sick they take care of you. There are trains and buses to transport people” he said.
Continuing the Senior Advocate said: “My take is that the National Assembly members are set of comedians. Even if they succeed to pass the bill, it would not be implementable.
“How will they even get the records of voters. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has no credible record.
INEC’s register for certain ward in an Igbo community in the past contained the names of Muhammed Ali, Mike Tyson and a number of foreign names. So how would they know those who voted and did not.
“We have no power of statistics. Simple calculation, we complained of glitches. How can they implement the bill if they pass it. They are just engaging in some comedy.
“They are jesters. They want to treat Nigerians with comic show.The bill should be killed at the Committee stage” the legal luminary said.
