The Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) has decried the nonchalant attitude of Nigerians
in the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) saying the
atittude was not in the best interest of the country for the 2019
election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner
(REC) in Imo, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, made this known at a
sensitisation meeting with stakeholders in Owerri Municipal and
Owerri West Local Government Areas of Imo.
Ezeonu said the attitude was more
prevalent in the South East.
He said that politics was a game of
numbers which required citizens to arm themselves with their PVCs as
ready tools to vote in credible candidates.
He enjoined the people to go and
collect their cards and take the election processes seriously.
He cautioned politicians against
collecting’ PVCs from voters and hoarding them only to bring them
out during elections to cause confusion.
Ezeonu said the tour of the 27 LGAs in
Imo was to sensitise the general public on the need for PVCs
collection, registration as well as intimate them on the electoral
rules and processes.
He allayed the fears expressed by the
people saying the national office is doing all possible to handle all
the challenges, assuring that hijacking of ballot boxes was now a
thing of the past.
Speaking, the Electoral Officer of
Owerri Municipal Council , Mr Andrew Ereforokuma,said that the
commission had always believe there was the need to partner with the
people inorder to have an acceptable election,.
“As we continue in our preparation
towards 2019 general elections, we shall have more opportunities as
this to share information and build the necessary trust for a rancor
free elections.”
Ereferokuma said registration exercise
has so far been successful in the LGA, adding that as at the end of
the first phase, data of 17,913 people (9,024 males and 8,889
females) have been captured.
The Electoral Officer of Owerri West,
Mrs Ebere Orji, said the town hall meeting provided stakeholders and
the commission an avenue to create the needed synergy for achieving
good result in 2019.
“INEC cannot achieve a free, fair and
credible election alone. It has to work in collaboration with other
stakeholders for its mission to be actualised.
Orji said communities in the LG are
faced with bad roads, collapsed bridges and swampy areas, which had
hindered timely delivery of materials during the registration
exercise.
She said the LG currently has 34, 229
uncollected PVCs.
The meeting comprised traditional
rulers, the clergy, security personnel and stakeholders in the
communities.
The stakeholders had complained about
registration centers being far from the people, alleged under-aged
registration in some parts of the country as well as appealed for
creation of more polling units and wards.
PM News
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