The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Permanent Voter Cards

  • Seven PDP members arrested in Ekiti for alleged PVCs racketeering

    Seven members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State have been arrested for illegal collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from eligible voters in Ikere-Ekiti.

    The House of Assembly member, who allegedly masterminded the voter cards racketeering, was said to be on the run.

    He escaped being arrested by the whiskers when the policemen swooped on his situation office where the alleged PVCs racketeering was going on.

    The armed policemen believed to be acting on a tip-off stormed the area few minutes before 1pm and recovered unspecified number of PVCs from the suspects.

    He was said to have blocked the federal highway that passes through the area gathering eligible voters to collect their cards.

    Read also: Police foil plot to kidnap oil merchant by employees

    The operation caused confusion as the seven other PDP members allegedly assisting the lawmaker to collect the PVCs were apprehended by the policemen.

    Party members arrested are said to be cooling their heels in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) where they are stating all they know about the incident.

    The lawmaker could not be reached on his mobile phone at the time of filing this report.

    When contacted, police spokesman, Caleb Ikechukwu, said the report of the incident was yet to be brought to his office.

  • Breaking: We’re more than ready, INEC assures

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has assured it is more than ready for the rescheduled general election starting tomorrow.

    Its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said all arrangements have been put in place for commencement of the exercise.

    He also declared only those with Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will be able to participate in the exercise.

    The Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu also assured eligible voters, observers and INEC officials of their security.

    Read Also: INEC moves sensitive materials to Bayelsa LGAs

    Adamu stressed that no armed security personnel will be allowed at the polling units.

    He doused the fears of voters, saying the force will be professional during the exercise.

    Details shortly…

  • Immigration to foreigners: vote and go to jail

    The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has reiterated its warning to foreign nationals to keep off voting areas during elections or face prosecution, deportation.

    King Ekpedeme, the head of the service in Lagos gave the warning during a phone chat with our Correspondent on Friday.

    He said that the NIS had in the past five months engaged leaders of foreign nationals especially those from the Economic Community of West and Central African States (ECOWAS), (ECCAS) to speak to their people on the need to stay out of Nigeria’s elections.

    Ekpedeme also said the service had retrieved several Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) from none Nigerians, adding that it has emplaced mechanisms to forestall foreigners from taking part in the exercise.

    He said: “Lagosians should not be worried about the possibility of foreign nationals voting in this election.

    Already, the borders have been closed today and the NIS had been retrieving PVCs from non-Nigerians.

    “Also, we have had several engagements with the leaders of our brothers from neighbouring countries who have spoken to their nationals and assured us they will not come out in election.

    “We have also made it clear that anyone found will be prosecuted and afterwards deported to their country. I want to believe that the message has been well received by them. This election is for Nigerians only and none Nigerians should stay in their homes.“

  • INEC takes PVC collection to registration area, wards

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would devolve Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collection to Registration Areas and Wards across the country, from Jan. 16.

    The commission said in a statement by Mr Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, on Friday, in Abuja, that deadline for collection of PVCs was Feb.  8.

    The statement said that decision on the issues was taken at the commission’s weekly meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.

    It recalled that INEC carried out Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) between April 27, 2017 and Aug. 31, 2018 during which a total of 14, 281,734 new voters were registered.

    It stated that subsequently, the commission printed the PVCs of the new registrants and delivered them to the states.

    It said “collection of PVCs by the public which is being done presently at the Commission’s Local Government offices is to be devolved to the 8,809 Registration Areas/Wards from Jan. 16 to Jan. 21 (including Saturday and Sunday).

    “After Jan. 21 collection of PVCs will revert to the Commission’s Local Government Offices and other designated centres to be determined by the states until Feb. 8, being the last day for collection.

    “There will be no extension for the collection of PVCs after Feb.8. All uncollected PVCs will be retrieved and kept in a secured place until the general elections are over.

    “There shall be no collection of PVCs by proxy.”

    The commission said that in the spirit of transparency, it would give account of the number of PVCs collected and the balance from previous registrations.

    It urged all registered voters yet to collect their PVCs to seize the opportunity to do so. (NAN)

  • 2019: Politicians are seeking PVCs to buy, says Oyo REC

    Politicians are making efforts to buy Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, Mr Mutiu Agboke, revealed yesterday.

    He made the disclosure while addressing reporters on the preparations of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the next year election in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital yesterday. It was at the one-day seminar organized by the Oyo State chapter of the Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (ONPAN).

    Agboke, who declined to give details of the politicians involved and in what states of the country the efforts were being made, said he got to know through a security report. The REC, however, assured that no politician can get PVCs to buy from INEC.

    His words: “ Politicians are looking for PVC to buy. That’s the security report we get. They are looking for what is not available. They have seen that this election will likely be neck-to-neck. We will allow a process that will not allow anyone to use violence to the disadvantage of another candidate. For those Looking for PVC to buy, there is none. No INEC staff will sell PVC to anybody. We are monitoring all of them and they all know.”

    Agboke also recalled that some politicians have requested a hand-over of the uncollected cards to them, promising to distribute to owners who they claim are their supporters but that the commission will never release PVCs to anyone that is not the real owner. He said INEC rule does not allow collection by proxy.

    The REC said voter education and sensitization being carried out by the umpire have raised the awareness of voters, stressing that the politicians have realized that INEC would provide a level-playing ground for every party and candidate. He said the situation has further made them realize that no political party or candidate can boast of easy victory which now makes them work and campaign hard for the election.

     

     

  • INEC says all PVCs ready for collection

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has printed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for all new registered voters between 2017 and 2018 and they are ready for collection.

    INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja after the swearing-in of the new Secretary to the Commission, Mrs Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

    Yakubu also said that all the PVCs of those who requested for replacement and relocation of their cards ahead of 2019 general elections, had also been printed and ready for collections.

    ”The commission has printed all PVCs for new registrants between April 27, 2017 and Aug. 31, 2018.

    ”We have also printed all the requests for replacement of lost cards, all requests for transfer and relocations.

    ”The last batch that we printed were for those who applied for transfer and relocation, and those who applied for replacement of damaged and defaced cards.

    ”This will be delivered immediately after the Christmas break. So we are happy to say that all 14.5 million or so new registered voters have their cards printed and delivered to the states. So we are good to go on that,” Yakubu said.

    Yakubu, who also spoke on the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and its implications on the 2019 general elections, said that the commission would meet with union leaders in tertiary institutions for a way forward.

    The INEC Chairman said that the ongoing strike was worrisome as the commission also sourced some of its election ad hoc staff from the tertiary institutions.

    ”The bulk of the ad hoc staff will be drawn from the National Youth Service Corps members but where there is shortfall, and obviously there would be shortfall, we rely on the universities.

    ”Remember we also rely on the universities to draw our collation and returning officers.

    ”So the ongoing strike is worrisome in case some of them say because of the ongoing strike they will not participate in the elections.

    ”But the ASUU has been good friend of the commission and we intend to meet with the President of the ASUU next week so that we can discuss and iron this out.

    ”We will also extend it to the lecturers of polytechnics and colleges of education so that we will meet with the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) and all other unions in the tertiary education sub-sectors,” the chairman said. (NAN)

  • Your PVCs your power —APC aspirant

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos State House of Assembly aspirant in Ifako/Ijaiye Local Government, Mutairu Balogun, has urged Lagos residents to exercise their voting rights by collecting their permanent voter cards (PVCs).

    ‘’The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the application for the PVCs will come to an end on August 31. Unfortunately, it’s around the festive period. We all should remember that our future lies in the PVCs. Let’s go out en masse immediately after the festive celebration to get our PVCs,’’Balogun said.

    Balogun commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the tremendous infrastructural development of the state.

    ‘’Governor Ambode has recorded tremendous achievements in the areas of infrastructural development, human capacity development and provision of basic social amenities, among others.

    ‘’The strides achieved by his administration have become a reference point among his contemporaries and politicians, hence the need to support him for another term.’’

  • 2019: Clerics urge improvement on PVC distribution-voter education

    Clerics have called on the Independence Electoral Commission, ( INEC ) to boost effort in the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards, ( PVCs ) and evolve measures to curb vote-buying.

    The clerics, who made the call in separate interviews with the News men in Lagos on Monday, also urged the commission to ensure that results of elections were release on time.

    Rev.Fr. Innocent Ebuka, a Catholic priest of the Missionary Society of St. Paul, Lagos, said INEC needed to ensure all that registered voters get their PVCs ahead of the general elections in 2019.

    “The objective of the PVC is that every registered voter gets his or her card, on time, so as to allow him or her exercise his or her franchise during elections.

    “Already, there are complaints over the collection of the cards, as many of the registered voters are unable to get their PVCs.

    “Nigerians who registered to vote but cannot get their PVCs will not lend credibility to the elections,’’ Ebuka said.

    He said that incident where voters could not locate their particulars on the Voters’ Register on election days might cast doubt about the legitimacy of the elections in the minds of such voters.

    On his part, Pastor John Adebayo of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Harmony Parish, Itaoluwo, Lagos also urged INEC to review its result collation and the system of announcing election results.

    Read Also: Keep faith with Buhari, clerics tells Nigerians

    “By now, I expect INEC to be upgrading its ICT usage to improve on transmission of votes cast from distance voting stations to the main collation centre.
    “Processes that will make votes cast to be effectively collated and the results speedily announced should be on the front burner of INEC reform agenda.

    “A situation whereby announced results will not tally with number of registered voters or number of voided votes and other criteria before announcing final results may mar the legitimacy of the polls.

    “INEC needs to see that mistakes of the past in the area of announcing results don’t reoccur during the 2019 general elections,’’ he said.

    He also called on the electoral body to begin earnest to engage credible personnel and seasoned academics as electoral officers for the 2019 elections.

    Contributing, Sheik Sulaimon Habila, the Chief Imam, Jamahliy Muslim Society, Ikorodu Branch, called for more voter education that would discourage electorate from accepting any form of inducement before they elect their leaders.

    He also advised INEC to let party agents know the implication of inducing voters during voting to avert annulment of results according to the electoral law.

    “Campaign of any sort should not be allowed on voting day because it is against the law.

    “Any party that indulges in such should have its results at such polling station voided,’’ he said.

     

  • Nigerian youths warned against hate speech

    Nigerian youths have been warned to guard against the use of hate speech, to avoid causing disaffection in the society.

    Malam Lamir Aminu, Chairman Electoral Committee, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), stated this in his goodwill message at the opening ceremony of the delegates’ conference in Gombe on Friday.

    Aminu said Nigerian youths need to understand and come to terms with ethnic and religious differences, for the continued development of  the country.

    Read Also: Pastor in police net for ‘propagating hate speech’

    “Religion and ethnic sentiments are the major stumbling block hindering the unity of Nigeria.

    “Let us do away with hate speech, eschew sentiments of religion and ethnicity, to make Nigeria a better place.

    He then called on the youth to ensure they are in possession of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC).

    “I am calling on those that have not registered, to endeavour to register,” he said.

    He also advised the youth to elect leaders based on merit not tribe or religion.

    The conference, tagged Unity Congress 2018, will also usher in a new executive council of NYCN.

    The national election will hold on July 21, in Gombe.

     

    NAN

  • INEC will do its best ahead of 2019 – Yakubu

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would continue to do its best to ensure that registered voters collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of 2019 elections.

    Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, gave the assurance in an interview with our reporters on Monday in Abuja.

    Yakubu recalled that over seven million PVCs were not collected from the 2015 general elections.

    “We have been trying our best but so far only a little over 500,000 cards have been collected nationwide.

    “We will continue to do whatever we can to ensure that the cards were collected ahead of the next general elections,” he said, adding that the commission was emphasizing on collection than distribution.

    According to Yakubu, we are emphasizing on collection because we want the true owners of the cards to collect them rather than by proxy with the possibility that the cards may end up in wrong hands.

    On whether the commission would patronize domestic printers in the printing of ballot papers for 2019 elections, he said “the first priority of INEC has been to patronize indigenous printers.

    “Since the 2015 general elections INEC has conducted elections in 180 constituencies and in none of these constituencies were the sensitive and non-sensitive materials printed out of the country.

    Read Also: INEC will not count prayer points, says Alex Ekubo

    “As a matter of course, for sometimes now the commission does not engage foreign printers directly. We engage Nigerian printers who may have partnership with printers outside the country.

    “So, our priority is to patronize Nigeria printers and Nigerian service providers; that policy remains unchanged.’’

    The chairman said that INEC was working with the security agencies charged with responsibilities to provide security for elections to ensure peaceful exercises in 2019.

    “The security agencies have assured and reassured us that they will provide security for the general elections.’’

    He also disclosed that the commission had benefited tremendously from the implementation of the recommendations from stakeholders.

    These, according to him, include recommendations from domestic election observers, media, civil society organizations and international observers, including African Union, European Union, Commonwealth and ECOWAS.

    Yakubu said that one of the implemented recommendations was simultaneous accreditation and voting on the day of election.

    “We have been implementing those recommendations, particularly those that can be implemented by the commission.

    “Remember there are three categories of those recommendations – those that can be implemented by pricking our policies, those that can be implemented through amendment of framework for conducting elections, and those that can be implemented by executive actions.

    “We have taken actions on all the three stages,’’ he said.

    On the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti, the chairman said that INEC was committed and focused on delivering credible polls in spite of all accusations.

    “I want to assure the good people of Ekiti that the election will not only be free and fair, but that only their votes will determine who becomes the next governor of the state,’’ he stated.

    He said that the commission had been preparing for the election in terms of recruitment and training of ad hoc staff and deployment of logistics.

    “We have delivered all the non-sensitive materials to Ekiti and we are tracking everything.

    “We are prepared for Ekiti the same way we are prepared for all other elections.

    “We are confident with the level of preparations that we have made for the election and we will have a good outcome,’’ Yakubu stated.

     

    NAN