The bungled Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) distribution has enraged Lagosians and cast a doubt on the capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to properly manage the electoral process without a hitch, reports EMMANUEL OLADESU.
For five hours, many Lagosians endured the scourging sun, waiting in vain for Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in 11 councils. The cards were elusive. Around 5 pm on Friday, prospective voters cried foul. The exercise was bungled in Lagos State.
The exercise was initially billed to take place in 20 local governments. Later, it was reduced to 11. The councils are Agege, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Ifako-Ijaye, Ikeja, Mushin, Lagos Island, Lagos mainland, Ibeju-Lekki, Ikorodu, Kosofe and Ojo. Besides, Lagos State had an issue with the commission over what it called the de-listing of voters from six million to less than five million. Despite the fact that the electoral commission had four years to accomplish the compilation, it has failed to deliver, four months to next year’s general elections.
According to observers, the failed exercise underscored the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC)’s poor preparation. “There is a looming disaster. If the commission cannot distribute permanent voters’ cards, after many had registered to vote, there is no evidence that it wil be dedicated to a hitch-free poll,” said Lagos All Progressives Congress (APC) Publicity Secretary Comrade Joe Igbokwe. “INEC has failed the test of credibility and integrity,” he added.
Ahead of the exercise, leaders of political parties, who had met with INEC officials raised serious doubts about the readiness of the commission for the distribution of the PVCs. Although the agency had enough time to tackle the challenge, it was evident that the task overwhelmed the commission. Thus, the party leaders advised the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Kunle Ogunmola, to postpone the exercise, until November 28. They reasoned that, between now and two weeks, the commission would have corrected its mistakes before the kick-off of the distribution.
Their fears were confirmed when the exercise could not take off in many councils at the weekend. It was expected to be a three-day exercise. But, nothing was accomplished the first day, to the consternation of party leaders. whose advice were ignored by the agency on the eve of the exercise.
At noon, aggrieved representatives of political parties stormed the INEC office, Yaba, Lagos Mainland, to protest the failure. They alleged that the commission had deliberately deprived Lagosians the PVCs, in a bid to rig next year’s polls in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Across the councils, many prospective voters had trooped out with enthusiasm to obtain the cards. Reflecting on the huge turnout, Lagos State APC Chairman Otunba Oladele Ajomale explained that the state government and the party mobilised registered voters for the exercise.
He said: “Since 2011, we have been telling people to register and be prepared to obtain their cards. We have explained to them the importance of the cards to the electoral process. Lagos has a huge voting population. To enable them get the cards, the government declared a work-free day. Therefore, Lagosians were ready. But, the INEC was not ready.”
Across the five divisions-Lagos, Epe, Ikorodu. Ikeja and Badagry-it was the same scenario.
In Epe Division, many residents of Agbowa, Ikosi, Ejinrin, Noforija and Epe went home disappointed. A registered voter from Oto-Ikosi, Mr. Isiaka Adekunle Ibrahim, lamented that INEC officials did not show up for the exercise in polling centres. He said many people were worried by the turn of event, having stormed the designated distribution centres early in the morning. “If the INEC cannot get the cards ready by now, it is a serious problem. We have time for the collection because of the one-day holiday declared by the state government. If they had prepared well in other states, they should have prepared better for Lagos,” Ibrahim added.
Igbokwe, who said that the party had been inundated with complaints by members, observed that the exercise has revealed that the INEC is grossly incompetent and ill-prepared for the challenges of 2015. “INEC should wake up from its slumber and rectify this anomaly,” he said.
APC chieftain Senator Gbenga Ashafa said the commission has a long way to go in rekindling public confidence in the electoral process. The senator, who monitored the distribution in Magodo, said, INEC officials were not available. He warned against a deliberate plan to disenfranchise registered voters. However, he said the mistake can still be corrected, if there INEC is determined to organise a credible process.
APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu dismissed the INEC as an inept agency, wondering why it has failed to successfully complete the compilation, almost four years after. “If you have four years for this exercise and four or five months to this election you are still giving excuse, you have failed,” he said.
INEC spokesman Kayode Idowu has attributed the botched exercise to technical problem. He said critical data were lost, following the crashing of storage disk and inability of some officials to properly handle the card readers.s
Ajomale yesterday flayed the INEC for bungling the distribution, saying that the APC suspected a foul play. He said the poor showing has vindicated the party’s fears about the competence, credibility and readiness of the umpire to conduct free, fair and peaceful elections next year. He complained that party members were also worried about the attempt by the INEC to frustrate Lagosians, ahead of the elections. He warned that democracy and the sanctity of the ballot box were under threat, owing to the botched exercise.
Ajomale said: “At our meeting with the INEC, all political parties, including the APC, voiced their anxiety about the unpreparedness of the INEC for the distribution of the PVCs. We have been vindicated. We said they should stop the exercise and postpone it till November 28, when the second phase will commence.
“Our people were prepared for the exercise. They had trooped out en mass for the distribution. But, the exercise did not take off. From Island to mainland, through Badagry, Ikorodu to Epe, from Mile Two to Bagadry, the exercise failed.”
Ajomale said the INEC would have complained about an attempt by the APC to frustrate the exercise, if the party had called its members to boycott the flawed exercise.
He stressed: “If we had called APC members not to participate, they will say we want to sabotage their effort. They want to frustrate us. We will not be frustrated.”
The party chairman said the work-free day declared by Governor Babtunde Fashola (SAN) to ensure a hitch-free exercise was not effectively utilised by the commission.
Urging Lagosians to stand firm, Ajomale said the agenda of the INEc to disenfranchise them will not see the light of the day.
He said: “Our people should stand form. The exercise has not taken off at all. Let the people of Lagos show them that they are difference, This foul play will not stand.
“Initially, we had six million. Later, they said it is 4.8 million registered people. They have their own agenda. We will not be intimidated. We will ensure a peaceful exercise. INEC must do a thorough job. That is our demand.
“Lagos declared a holiday because of the exercise. Everywhere we went, people were complaining. They were on queneu for hours under the sun. But, the PVCs were not available. INEC was not available. Noting was done.”
A governorship aspirant, Dr. Leke Pitan, described the exercise as a sham. He said: “It is shameful we still try to play funny games with the simple exercise of distributing voters’ cards. In many units, our people identified their names on the lists. They were made to sign for their names only to get to the collection points and they could not get their PVCs.”
House of Representatives member from Epe Hon, Lanre Odubote advised the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to resign. He said: “Voters cards are being given to all Nigerians, but Epe is being denied its right. We have no confidence in the Jega’s ability to be fair to our people and his ability to conduct a credible poll in 2015. So, if he cannot distribute voters’ cards without problem, he cannot conduct a credible poll.”
