THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday,
enjoined those who fear that non -availability of Permanent Voters Cards
(PVCs) will hurt next month’s general elections to have a rethink.
Reason: All the cards have been printed and are ready for collection.
►The Pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, on Wednesday after a four-hour meeting in Akure,
country home of its chairman, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, lamented that
more than 15 million voters had not collected their cards and 14 million
voters cards were yet to arrive the country.
It said non-distribution of 30 million PVCs, about half of the over 60
million registered voters will not lead to a credible election.
Indeed, the polity has been awash with hiccups trailing the collection
of the PVCs, which prompted calls for postponement of the polls from
some quarters.
Speaking on the issues, yesterday, in a phone chat with Chat212, Mr
Kayode Idowu, Chief Press Secretary to INEC National Chairman, Professor
Attahiru Jega, said it was not true that 14 million PVCs were yet to be
printed.
His words: “All the PVCs have been printed. Altogether, 68.8 PVCs were
printed. We have received 65 million PVCs which are out for
distribution. The remaining 3.8 million PVCs will be out there between
tomorrow (today) and Friday.”
To ensure hitch-free polls, INEC urged would-be-voters who are yet to
collect their PVCs to do so, warning those without the cards not to come
to the polling booths during the polls.
Speaking at a stakeholders consultative meeting towards a successful and
violence-free 2015 election, hosted by the Lagos State Commissioner of
Police, Kayode Aderanti, the Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner
of INEC, Akin Orebiyi, threatened to arrest those found around polling
units on election day without voters cards.
So far, Orebiyi, disclosed that out of more than four million voters
whose PVCs are ready, only 2.3 million had collected, appealing to those
who are yet to collect theirs to do so as quickly as possible.
“There are various categories of people affected by the PVCs; those who
registered in 2011 and whose PVCs are ready for collection now — they
should go and collect them if they have not; those who registered in
2011, who saw their names on the displayed register at the polling units
— their cards are on the way; those who registered in 2011 but who, for
one reason or the other, their data are not on INEC’s records ought to
have re-registered; those who registered in 2014 – their cards are on
the way, if they have not arrived.
“Those who registered in one particular place and have moved to another
location and would like to vote in the new place – they ought to have
requested for transfer. If they have, this must have been effected. If
not, they can only vote where they registered originally.
“Those who did not re-register when they ought to, we have no PVC for
you. Stay at home on election day. Those who never registered and are
willing to register now- the registration window is closed. Stay at home
on election day”
He revealed that stringent measures such as the provision of a Smart
Card Reader had been introduced by INEC, with a view to ensuring there
were no rigging by any means. Orebiyi highlighted part of the benefits
of the Smart Card Reader to include; detecting fake or cloned PVCs;
ensuring no elector uses another person’s PVC, ensure an elector does
not vote in more than one place as well as to check inflation of result
figures.
Other measures on ground according to him, included the numbering of
sensitive materials such as ballot papers which he said are in serial
numbers, while the ballot boxes of each local government are colour
coded.
This came as the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) accused the
ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Presidency of plotting to
postpone the February general polls.
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, has ordered
immediate crack down on political thugs and miscreants perpetrating
mayhem for immediate prosecution no matter their status in the society
as the Lamido of Adamawa, Muhammadu Bakindo Aliyu Musdafa, urged
politicians to embrace peace and pelt their opponents with votes instead
of stones.
PDP, Presidency plotting to postpone polls
While the allegations and counter-allegations against the genuineness of
the WASCE certificate of the APC presidential Candidate, Major-General
Muhammadu Buhari (ret) continue, the party has accused the PDP and the
Presidency of orchestrating the on-going campaign for election
postponement, despite their serial denial and assurances that they are
ready for the polls.
The APC said in a statement in Lagos by its National Publicity
Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed that “There is no clearer indication that
the PDP and the Presidency are the puppeteers behind the election shift
campaign of Wednesday’s newspaper advertorial.
“This advert, which has the picture of President Goodluck Jonathan and
the logo of the PDP — meaning they will be the sole beneficiaries of the
postponement they are seeking — leaves no one in doubt that the ruling
party and the Presidency are pathologically dishonest, deliberately
deceptive and chronically terrified about the elections.”
While urging its members and supporters in particular, and all Nigerians
in general to remain vigilant and firm in saying ‘no’ to election
postponement, the APC appealed to the Chief Justice of the Federation
(CJN) to ensure that the courts are not used as a tool to sabotage the
elections and indeed the nation’s democracy.
IG’s riot act to trouble-makers
The Inspector-General of Police has ordered that miscreants and thugs
causing untold discomfort for supporters and actors of opposing
political parties in the on-going political campaigns be dealt with.
Chat212 gathered that reopening of courts by judicial workers necessitated the IGP’s order.
Several suspects were arrested in connection with perpetration of
violence during political campaigns at different locations in Katsina,
Bauchi, Rivers and Plateau states which contravenes Section 227 of the
1999 Constitution (as amended) and Sections 94 and 95 of the Electoral
Act.
A statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu
noted that “while the IGP advises politicians to play the game by the
rules, the Nigeria Police will not condone any act of hooliganism from
any quarter.”
68.8 Million PVCs Ready For Collection – INEC
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Oleh
healthandwealth
