The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has vowed to get to the root of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) allegedly buried underground in some locations, including the compound of a high-profile person.
A statement issued on Thursday night by Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of the commission acknowledged a trending video online of PVCs discovered in an undisclosed location and maintained that “the commission is not taking these allegations lightly.
“We have commenced an immediate investigation and anyone found culpable in this diabolical scheme clearly intended to disenfranchise Nigerians will be sanctioned under the law. Every eligible Nigerian who registered as a voter is entitled to his/her PVC. The constitutional right to vote in any election must never be suppressed or abridged in any way,” he said.
INEC assured Nigerians that PVCs have been printed for all valid registrants in Nigeria up to 14th January 2022 and delivered to all the States of the Federation for collection by voters.
“We will not allow retrogressive elements to sabotage our efforts. The issues of voter registration, a compilation of the voters’ roll and issuance of PVCs are at the heart of any democratic elections and the commission is working hard to ensure that every eligible citizen who appears in person at the registration venue is registered. We assure Nigerians that this matter will be pursued to its logical conclusion.
“Already, the commission is reviewing the procedure for collecting PVCs to make it less cumbersome and more transparent. This will be a major topic at the next regular quarterly meeting with stakeholders so that working together we can find a lasting solution to the issue.”
The statement further appealed “to those who found the allegedly buried PVCs to deliver them to our nearest State or Local Government office. This will be their patriotic contribution to the consolidation of our electoral process.”