By Samuel Ogude(Warri)
A count down to 2023 general elections, many Nigerians who are yet to be given their Permanent Voter’s Card have called on the Federal Government and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to disenfranchise them but provide their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to enable them participate on this year’s general elections. They made this call over the weekend in separate interviews with Bailout Magazine at INEC’s liaison Office, Esisi Road, Warri , Warri South LGA Delta State.
Among those who spoke include Aaron Rebecca. She said, she has been coming to INEC’s Office at Esisi Road since December,2022 and was told to come 2nd week of January 2023, saying, each time she came, she was always given one excuse or the other for her not to get her PVC. The lady who said she is in unit 9 Igbudu Ward in Warri South LGA said, she did not know what to do as she really needs the PVC to enable her cast her vote in this year’s general elections.
She said:”Since December last year (2022), I have been coming this office and each time I come, they say the card is not ready. I was asked to come 2nd week of January this year (2023), and I came, they said it was not ready. Again, they said, I should come today, Saturday, here again, they are still saying, it is not yet ready. They should find solution because I really need it.”
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Also speaking is Blessing Owemini. He said the office has refused to give him his PVC as they said, it has not come from Abuja and was asked to wait to the following day . According to him, he did replacement of the card in last year (2022) as he added his third name to it . He said, since then, he has not got his card. He added that, since 2011, he has been coming for the card and up till date. He added that, they really need the person they should talk to, as, the INEC officials in Esisi Road are not giving them good answers.
He said:”We really want know the position of things. We should know if the PVCs are still in Abuja, we should know where the problem lies”.
He said, there is sign that his card is showing in online but the card is not available for him saying, the absence of the card has denied him voting in the last two elections: 2015 and 2019. He added, being the case, he was asked to swear affidavit and he has done a replacement twice, yet, he was not given the card.
Another Human Right Activist, Comrade Steve Okwechime said, he also came to INEC’s liason office at Esisi Road to collect his PVC and he was told that it was not available. According to him, he questioned the rationale behind it, they could not give him a cogent reason rather, they said, he should forfeit his voting right as he did not come on time for it, which, according to him, is not true as he has the right to vote. He said, he was not happy to hear that, when he is a Nigerian who ought to cast his vote. He said: “I agreed that the card is invalid since 2017 and I suppose to vote as a Nigerian, so, I need to be given validated PVC”.
On his part, the President of Delta Democratic Platform, Warri, Comrade Paul Okotie said, he has been the advocate for the collection of PVC in the area. He said, for the past one month, he has been coming to INEC’s liaison at Esisi Road adding, he observed that, many people cannot get their PVC. He said while in some cases, there was double registration of some people while some others cannot lay hands on their cards saying, it is posing a challenge to them. He therefore called on INEC and the Federal Government to ensure it gives PVC to the people so that they can cast their votes.
When contacted on the complaints of the people, INEC’s officials at its liaison office at Essi Road refused to comment on the issue saying, if the Bailout Magazine is interested on the matter, it should contact their office in Asaba not in Warri here. The officials who spoke through the protectors(Iron bars) as they barred press entry into the office said, they don’t have answers to give to the press, saying, if it(Bailout Magazine) needs any explanation as to why they cannot give the Nigerians PVC, it should go to Asaba, the state capital.
One of them who hid his identity to the said:”We don’t have an answer to give to you, go to Asaba and ask them there, no bi we”. This is of course, caused heated argument between the people denied the cards, and INEC officials as all efforts to explain to them( INEC’s officials) on the need to speak to Bailout Magazine on the matter fell on deaf ears. It would be recalled that INEC has extended the deadline of the collection of PVC ahead of this year’s election to February 5,.