INEC never issued unclaimed PVCs to parties, governors ― Osun REC

OSUN State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Olusegun Agbaje on Wednesday described as a ridiculous allegation that the electoral body had been issuing out uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to some political parties and state governors.

He said this on Tuesday, at Osun State INEC State Headquarters, Osogbo the state capital during the meeting with Political Parties Leaders in the State.

According to Agbaje, “The information that INEC has been giving uncollected PVC to some political parties is not true and impossible because the PVC’s are for the owners and it is not possible for someone to use another person card.

“The uncollected PVC’s will be taking to the Resident Area’s for collection by their owners from today till Monday 21st January 2019 from 9 am to 4pn daily.

“Those that are yet to collect their PVCs are advised to cash in on this opportunity to do so because only those that are with their valid PVCs are going to be allowed to cast their vote during the General Election.”

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Advising political parties on good conduct during the election, Mr. Agbaje call on party leaders to urged their followers not to cause violence during the election as it will not be of benefit to anyone.

“Apart from providing a platform for sponsorship of candidates during election political parties have the mandate to ensure that they properly educate and mobilize the voters through the conduct of seminars, conferences and conventions in line with the Electoral Act 2010.

“The most worrisome among the challenges confronting the commission presently is the ‘Win at all cost attitude of politicians’ which involves deploying all sorts of illicit means such as vote buying, use of thugs to disrupt election process, raising of false alarm and dissemination of fake news to whip up unnecessary sentiment as well as the use of hate speeches or vulgar languages to undermine the electoral process.

“If we must get rid of all the wicked forces that have continuously threatened the credibility of our election in Nigeria, the political class must change its ‘do or die’ attitude to good conduct in politics.

“I want to particularly urge the political parties leaders, contestants and their followers to shun all acts that could hinder the smooth conduct of the elections such as use of thugs to disrupt the electoral process, snatching of ballot boxes, intimidation of election officials, vote buying, discouraging the use of the Smart Card Reader among other electoral vices.”

He appeal to all stakeholders to support INEC toward ensuring that the elections are smoothly conducted without any hitch.