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Tag: PVC

  • PVC ‘key to democracy,’ says ex-Ambode aide

    PVC ‘key to democracy,’ says ex-Ambode aide

    A former Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has appealed to Lagosians to pick up their Permanent Voters Cards ahead of next year’s general elections.

    Mrs Adebimpe Akinsola made the appeal during a meeting of a pressure group, the “A Plus Disciples” in Ikeja, Lagos.

    She described PVCs as the weapon to keep a good government in office or sack a non performing one.

    Mrs Akinsola called on those yet to register but of voting age to approach INEC offices for registration.

    She commended Governor Ambode’s contribution toward realising the mega city dream for Lagos.

    Mrs Akinsola, who was acting Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, said the governor had done much in the area of infrastructure provision

    Chairman Igbogbo-Bayeku Local Council Development Area Mr Sesan Daini, said Governor Ambode had touched every community in the state.

    He described Ambode’s performance as a pointer to what the council chairmen should do.

  • 2019 election results will be transmitted electronically – INEC

    2019 election results will be transmitted electronically – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) said on Tuesday it has developed a technology that would enable it transmit election results electronically direct from polling units to the states’ headquarters.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ebonyi, Prof. Godswill Obioma, disclosed this at a meeting with faith-based organizations in Abakaliki.

    According to him, the new technology is part of efforts by the Commission to eliminate rigging, electoral frauds and other irregularities and to ensure the enthronement of credibility and transparency in the electoral process.

    Obioma reassured the electorate that their votes would count in the 2019 general elections and urged them to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration ( CVR ).

    He said: “INEC is strengthening the process of transmitting election results electronically direct from polling booths to INEC headquarters.

    “We hope that the latest technological innovation would be perfected and deployed in the 2019 general elections.

    “The new strategy would discourage politicians from ballot box snatching, stuffing of ballot boxes and indulgence in other forms of electoral irregularities.

    “The commission would do everything to ensure that votes count in 2019 and that those who would emerge do that through popular votes.

    “We have only one message and the message is that you come out and register and ensure that you collect your PVC to qualify you to exercise your franchise.”

    Read also: 2019: INEC to partner political parties for credible elections

    The REC explained that the meeting was part of conscious efforts by INEC to build strategic partnership and alliance that would be harnessed to mobilize the electorate.

    “This meeting is aimed at jointly charting strategic paths for a credible 2019 elections and to see in what best ways we can partner with the organizations to reach out to their members.

    “It is also to mobilize those who are 18 years and above to come out and register and collect their PVCs,” he added.

    Obioma explained that making the electoral process more inclusive by getting more people involved in civic responsibilities would reduce political tension and those chosen in elections would be better accepted as representatives of the people.

    He said that the commission had embarked on aggressive sensitisation and voter education since he resumed office as REC in Ebonyi on July 12.

    “We have undertaken stakeholders’ town hall meetings in all the 13 local government areas of the state where we met with the people in their localities and sensitise them to the continuous voter registration.

    “We followed the town hall meetings with the stakeholders’ village square meetings in the wards across the local government areas.

    “We listened to their views on how we can do better in our programmes to achieve greater penetration in the society,” he said.

    Reports say no fewer than 50 representatives of faith-based organisations, including Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs attended the meeting.

    NAN

  • 137,000 PVCs uncollected in Niger, says REC

    The Niger State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Sam Eku, has disclosed that 137,000 permanent voters cards (PVCs) have not been collected in Niger State.

    Eku, who spoke during his first meeting with stakeholders at the INEC office in Minna, the state capital, urged the stakeholders to create awareness on the importance of the PVCs.

    He said the meeting with the stakeholders was necessary for the electoral body to remain engaged with the people who have direct interest in the electoral process and whose conduct or misconduct can affect the process.

    Eku promised to hold regular meetings with the stakeholders to provide them with information to build their confidence and create trust.

    He said: “We cannot gain extra mileage in the electoral process with stakeholders if we are not in the same page with them. We need their confidence and trust towards making the electoral process smooth and successful.”

    During the meeting, the Commissioner charged the political parties to obey their constitution and rules especially during the process of electing candidates lamenting that political parties cannot offer democracy to the people if they are not democratic themselves.

    “Political parties in the nation have the challenge of internal democracy, they do not obey their own rules and constitution and are often not accountable to their members. The health of our democracy can only be determined by the health of our political parties.”

    Eku also admonished the political parties to be constructive and innovative in their policies and programmes, pointing out that it has become very difficult for Nigerians to differentiate between political parties in the country based on their programmes and policies, which he said, are similar.

  • INEC registers 1.41m voters, distributes 54,395 PVCs

    INEC registers 1.41m voters, distributes 54,395 PVCs

    The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday said it has registered 1.41 million voters in the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CRV).

    The Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this at the launch of Getregistered Naija Mobile App by Election Monitor, a civil society organisation, in Abuja.

    He said the Commission had also distributed 54,395 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to registered voters across the country in the ongoing exercise.

    Yakubu, who was represented by INEC’s Director of Voter Registry Department, Mr. Iro Gambo, said 60, 085 transfer requests had been received alongside 125, 543 demands for card replacement.

    He said update on the CVR as at July 7 showed that Lagos had the highest number of registered voters, adding that the Commission’s aim was to register 20 million voters at the end of next quarter.

    “The INEC will continue to strive to get all Nigerians registered; that was why we considered requests for additional registration centres and added 302 registration centres to the existing 774 local government areas.

    “New DDCMs are being procured to replace the old ones. The Commission has taken delivery of 900 out of the initial order of 1,060,’’ he stated.

     

    NAN

  • Secure your future, obtain your PVC, APC youths urge

    Secure your future, obtain your PVC, APC youths urge

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Alliance has asked Nigerian youths to take advantage of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration to obtain their permanent voters card, which it described as a passport to a secured future.
    National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Ugboma Stephen said the permanent voter’s card was an important tool in the hands of the youths in national transformation and appeal to them to come out en masse to register.
    Stephen said all members of the party who are yet to register or have misplaced their card or changed address should take advantage of the opportunity in other to “secure the transformation weapon for national development.”
    He urged all state coordinators and youths in general to explore every means necessary to support the change agenda of the party, and the fight against corruption and also pray for quick recovery of President Mohammed Buhari.

  • Lagos voters to collect PVC on Saturday

    To ease the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), the Lagos State Government has created 245 Registration Area Centres (RACs) for the exercise.
    Eligible voters are to visit the centres on Saturdays to collect their cards.
    The arrangement followed a partnership between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).
    According to LASIEC, the collaboration is to enable those who are busy during the working days to collect their cards at weekends.
    According to INEC, about 1.4 million PVCs are awaiting collection in the state.
    The huge number of outstanding PVCs, LASIEC said, prompted the partnership to prevent the disenfranchisement of many voters in the July 22 council election.
    The distribution will end on May 20.

  • Council chair advises Oyo citizens on PVC registration 

    The Caretaker Chairman of Itesiwaju Local Government of Oyo State, Adeniyi Adeagbo, has urged indigenes and other residents to participate in the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration being conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Adeagbo, in a statement, advised eligible citizens in the council and Oyo State, particularly all those who have turned 18 years of age since the last registration, as well as those who did not register during the last exercise, to go to the INEC LGA office and  register.

    He said: “For those who have not collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), they should know that PVCs are their legitimate weapons to elect leaders of their choice in future elections. And for those who have lost or damaged their PVCs, or wanted to transfer their PVCs should go to the council office of INEC and inform the officers in charge”

    The council chairman enjoined those who had registered and collected their PVCs not to involve in multiple registrations, as it was a criminal offence to do so.

  • PDP buying PVCs, says Oshiomhole

    PDP buying PVCs, says Oshiomhole

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of buying Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in a bid to rig the September 10 governorship election in the state.

    The governor spoke yesterday at a rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Jattu in Etsako West Local Government.

    He said anyone caught selling or buying the PVC would be prosecuted and jailed, if found guilty.

    Oshiomhole said: “They are going round, collecting PVCs and dropping lies. Please, don’t sell your PVCs. Poverty cannot be cured with a dash. It has to be fought on a systematic basis.

    “In Agenebode, they are buying PVCs. They would say, ‘Bring it, we will give you N5,000.’ Ask them: if they sweat to make the money, will they use it to buy PVCs?

    “Don’t allow them. After impoverishing you, they take N5,000 and stop you from voting. I’ve told the security agencies to monitor them. When we catch them, they will be prosecuted and jailed. But, please, N5,000 will not bail anyone out of poverty.”

    The governor also said: “When we say the PDP, you (voters) actually buried it. We only announced it, and they will remain politically dead. They died in sin. They undermined the people, looted the treasury, failed all questions. They breached all 10 commandments of development. So, they died in sin and shall never resurrect in our lifetime.

    “I hear them say ‘Change the Change’. The dead cannot change the living because they are dead, politically. They cannot change us who are politically living. So, it’s a futile slogan.”

    Oshiomhole said the PDP ruined the economy for 16 years, adding: “On May 29, 1999, when the PDP took over the reins of the Federal Government, the official rate of naira was N21.90 to $1. By the time they were chased out of power, the naira was exchanging close to N200.

    “We have written our development testimonial in our ink and they have written the testimonial of their failure in their ink.”

    APC candidate Godwin Obaseki said the state’s progress cannot be put on the reverse by the PDP.

    He said: “We will continue with what Oshiomhole has started. He has built roads, schools, hospitals. So, we will continue with the next phase with human capital development.”

    Obaseki said the Leventis Farm, which was shut for a long time, would be reopened to provide over 10,000 jobs for youths.

    The APC candidate hailed Oshiomhole for establishing the Edo University at Iyamho.

    He noted that the university, which he described as a world-class institution, would be appreciated by the residents in the next 20 years.

    Over 2,000 PDP members, led by Peter Iyhu, defected to the APC at the rally.

     

  • Esele: We can’t use PVCs for primary

    Esele: We can’t use PVCs for primary

    Comrade Peter Esele, a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, has appealed to the leadership of the party to consider the use of another means of identification of delegates during the primary.

    Esele, who made this appeal while fielding questions from reporters, said the appeal became necessary against the alleged buying of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) from delegates by a particular aspirant.

    He said if the party dues not consider other means; it will give room for fake delegates.

    Esele, who is a former President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), said he was disturbed by this trend, alleging that the PVC’s that were being bought for N25, 000, were meant to be cloned.

    “We are all disturbed about the issue of a particular aspirant who goes about mopping PVC from delegates with money.

    “Some of the aspirants have come out to condemn this and also raise concern on it to the party’s national secretariat.

    ‘“We are also not unaware on how the particular aspirants have come out to deny this, but the fact is that it is not a mere allegation as I have found out myself.

    “In one of my campaigns in Auchi, a woman, one of the delegates, told me after addressing the people, that she felt so bad and walked up to me and told me how the agent of the particular aspirant took her PVC and gave her N10, 000.

    “I am appealing to the national secretariat, to do everything possible so that there must be a secondary way of identification.

    “I have always believed that democracy is all about contestation of ideas, I have nothing against any of the aspirants, and I have said this before, the governor has a right to have a preferred candidate but who will be the nominee of the party, is the responsibility of the delegates.

    “So, the governor and the party structure should ensure that we have a level playing field at the primaries. It is the responsibility of the party to conduct primaries and not that of the governor,” he said.

    Esele urged the party leadership to ensure that a level playing field is guaranteed aspirants that will be participating in the primary, if the party is to go into the governorship election without bitterness.

    According to him, “if at the end of the day i win, I want to win fair and square and if it happens that I lose, I want to do that in a manner that I will walk up to the winner and shake his hand and together we match to September election.

    “But, anything less, it us going to leave a sad taste in my mouth and it is not good for the cohesion f the party going into the September election.”

    He said he is not happy with the way the governor is being dragged into the primary, “There are certain things the governor may know and also some he may not,” he added.

    Esele said: “The reason why am not happy is that at this time of the year, being his last, we should be talking about the legacy of this governor and this government. Oshiomhole as a governor has done well, very well.

    “But, at the party now, none of us is discussing the successes of this government and Oshiomhole, but attention is now on the primaries and the negative side of the primaries and it is robbing on the governor.

    “At this critical time, for the sake of his legacy, for the sake of what we know he represent, I still believe in him.

    “This is where he needs to show leadership. this is where he needs to define his legacy and also make the way he will be remembered strengthened.

    “I will be very sad for anybody to rubbish comrade Oshiomhole, not just because he is comrade Oshiomhole, not just because he is governor of Edo State but because we are from the same constituency.  We are from the same labour movement, whatever he does, positively and negatively, rob on all of us.

    “Whether you like it or not, Oshiomhole is a contributing factor to the fact that i am running for the governor of Edo State because he opened the door for us. When I see that he was able to do it, I also felt it will be possible for me.

    “My appeal to the governor is that he must not sacrifice all that he has done on all alter of a party primaries that is supposed to be a party affair.

    ‘The buying of PVC is being tied to the governor and I think it is very damaging and I think the governor should come out and clear the air about that. Because it is robbing of on him and it is damaging his reputation and the entire good job he has done.”

  • PVC’s collection, a criminal act, says Osagie

    Former Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon Samson Osagie, has condemned the alleged purchase of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) belonging to would-be delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying it is criminal. He said those involved should be prosecuted by law enforcement agencies.

    Osagie said desperate politicians have resolved to manipulate the electoral process by dispossessing delegates of their legitimate property. He alleged that the manipulators are claiming that many delegates do not have voters card, because they want to hurriedly issue party cards to touts.

    The APC chieftain warned that democracy is seriously on trial, if the national headquarters of the party and security agencies do not insist on due process during the primary.

    Osagie wondered why an aspirant will mop up PVCs when same will be required by their owners to vote in the general election.

    He advised delegates to beware of giving their cards to agents of aspirants who are now on the prowl, looking for PVCs to buy.

    He said: “The national leadership of the APC must resist this undemocratic practice, as it portends grave consequences for a free, fair and credible process of nomination.

    “When I contested the APC senatorial primary on December 14, 2014 neither those who contested the primaries nor their agents collected PVCs from any delegate.

    “Similarly, when the National Convention held in Lagos to nominate a presidential candidate on December, 20, 2014, none of the presidential aspirants or their coordinators demanded and collected PVCs from the delegates. Why is Edo State in the news always for the the wrong reasons and yet, they expect people not to talk. Enough is enough of this political rascality, which is tending to undermine the hard-won battle of one-man, one-vote mantra championed by the ever-dogged and  ever-rugged Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.”