Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has vowed to investigate the viral video of a stock of Permanent Voter’s Cards, PVCs, buried in the compound of a highly-placed personality.
INEC, in a strongly-worded press statement, Thursday, by its National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, threatened severe penalty for anyone behind such unpatriotic act.
The electoral umpire which said it had commenced investigation into the criminal act, urged anyone who found the stock to take it to the nearest INEC office.
Below is a full text of the statement posted on INEC Twitter handle:
REPORT OF UNCOLLECTED PERMANENT VOTERS’ CARDS (PVCs) DISCOVERED IN INAPPROPRIATE LOCATIONS
The attention of the Commission has been drawn to videos trending online of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) allegedly buried underground in some locations, including the compound of a high-profile person.
The Commission is not taking these allegations lightly. We have commenced immediate investigation ‘and anyone found culpable in this diabolical scheme clearly intended to disenfranchise Nigerians will be sanctioned under the law. Every eligible Nigerian who registered as a voter is entitled to his/her PVC. The constitutional right to vote in any election must never be suppressed or abridged in any way.
As far as the record of the Commission is concerned, PVCs have been printed for all valid registrants in Nigeria up to 14th January 2022 and delivered to all the States of the Federation for collection by voters. We will not allow retrogressive elements to sabotage our efforts.
The issues of voter registration, compilation of the voters’ roll and issuance of PVCs are at the heart of any democratic elections and the Commission is working hard to ensure that every eligible citizen who appears in person at the registration venue is registered. We assure Nigerians that the matter will be pursued to its logical conclusion.
Already, the Commission is reviewing the procedure for collecting PVCs to make it less cumbersome and more transparent. This will be a major topic at the INEC regular quarterly meeting with stakeholders so that working together we can find a lasting solution to the issue.
Meanwhile, we appeal to those who found the allegedly buried PVCs to deliver them to our nearest State or Local Government office. This will be their patriotic contribution to the consolidation of our electoral process.
Festus Okoye Esq.
National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee Thursday 14th July 2022.
