You have the rights and
responsibilities as a Nigerian to vote.
Photo credit: (New Times)
WHO IS A VOTER
WHO IS A VOTER?
A voter is a person who is qualified by an elector to participate in an election. A voter in Nigeria is a person 18 years of age or older who is properly registered and whose names and information are on the voting registry. In effect, a voter is someone who can exercise the right to vote.
To be registered as a voter, an individual must be:
- A citizen of Nigeria;
- Has attained the age of eighteen (18) years;
- Ordinarily resident, work in, originate from the Local Government Area (LGA), Council, ward covered by the registration officers of the Commission for registration as a voter;
- Free from any incapacity to vote under any law in Nigeria;
- Present him/herself to the registration officer of the Commission for registration as a voter; and
- Must not be subject to any incapacity to vote under any law in Nigeria.
RIGHT OF THE VOTER
The rights of every Nigerian citizen are entrenched in chapter four of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Without fear of prosecution, discrimination or any form of hindrance and within the electoral process, a voter has the following rights:
- Right to register
- Right to vote and be voted for when registered
- Right to recall an elected representative
- Right to secrecy (privacy) when voting
- Right to attend Rallies and Campaigns of political Parties and Candidates
- Right to Information About Election
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE VOTER
Ideally, there are no rights without responsibilities. Responsibilities are those duties and activities, which the citizens of a state are expected to be involved in, to demonstrate their love, commitment, loyalty, patriotism and selflessness to the nation. Within the electoral process, such responsibilities are as follows:
- Responsibility to register
- Responsibility to vote
- Responsibility to conduct oneself in an orderly manner
- Responsibility to keep Permanent Voter Card safe
- Responsibility to enlighten others about the benefits of participation
