Edo PDP Chairman accuses INEC of distributing unclaimed PVCs to APC

THE Edo State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has secretly given thousands of unclaimed Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to the rival All Progressives Congress (APC).

Going by figures released by INEC, 483,868 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) had remained uncollected in the state at the end of the deadline for the collection on February 11.

The Head of Voter Education and Publicity in INEC in the state, Mr Timidi Wariowei said that no fewer than 2, 219, 778 PVCs were received from INEC headquarters.

Out of the over 2,219,778 Permanent Voters Cards despatched to the state, a total of 483,868 people refused to collect theirs.

The Edo state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Emmanuel Alex-Hart, however, denied the allegation, insisting that it was fake news.

Alex-Hart who spoke in a telephone interview exclaimed: “Oh my God, it is not true.”

Orbih who spoke at a stakeholders meeting of top members of the party in Benin yesterday remarked that the electoral body gave out the cards to the chairmen of the 18 local government areas of the state in a determined bid to rig the polls which were postponed to February 23.

He said: “We have it on good authority that unclaimed PVCs in Edo State were secretly given out by INEC to chairmen of the 18 local government areas in the state with a view of rigging the election. We have evidence to this effect.”

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Besides, Orbih further alleged that sensitive electoral materials were never in the custody of the Benin branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as the national headquarters of the commission didn’t despatch the materials to the state.

Again, Alex-Hart vehemently denied the claim, noting that there was no element of truth in the allegation.

The Publicity Secretary of the APC in the state, Mr Chris Azebamwan denied the allegation insisting that it was an attempt by the opposition party to denigrate the process, knowing fully well that it will lose.

According to Azebamwan, the allegation was laughable as three processes which involved the authentication of the card by the card reader, biometric check and checking the names of the prospective voters on the register.

Meanwhile, the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Chris Nehikhare has assured that the party will not be intimidated by the antics of some leaders of the APC who violently attacked some PDP supporters in Esan Central local government area.

Nehikhare who spoke shortly after the meeting called on the international community to call the APC led federal government to order and stop the harassment and intimidation of opponents.