The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is under pressure to dump the use of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for the elections.

Some of the critics insist that the national average of collection is less than 40 per cent, a record that is creating ripples within the political parties and the civil society organisations

Leaders of political parties and civil society leaders are kicking against the shoddy distribution of the PVCs.

The Chairman of Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Yinka Farounbi, said: ”Available records showed that less than 35 per cent of registered voters have secured the PVCs. How do you conduct any credible election with that type of very low voting population?“

Nigeria Civil Society groups under the aegis of Situation Room also expressed concern that the distribution of PVCs and the conduct of the Continous Voters Registration (CVR) in INECs Phase 3 States of Adamawa, Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Plateau, Nassarawa, Niger, Imo, Lagos, Ogun and Rivers are experiencing serious glitches and complaints from citizens who have received very little information on it.

The groups said: “Reports received by Situation Room shows that the exercise has been suspended in Rivers State and is being partially conducted in Lagos and Imo States.

”Several registered voters or persons intending to register have turned up in centres across the states only to be turned back or find that there are no registration officials on hand.

“This has heightened tension and apprehension among registered voters and potential voting registrants. In Kano, Ogun and Plateau States where officials have been present, they have had fewer cards than the voters’ register.”

The Chairman of Conference of Political Parties in Nigeria (CNPP), Alhaji Balarabe Musa, said the PVCs may not ensure credible elections.

‘’How are we even sure that the PVC distribution will be achieved? Efforts have been made in the past to make use of the PVC, but without success. We should always review PVCs regularly, but this has not been done. There is no guarantee that this will work in Nigeria in the foreseeable future.”

He also urged INEC chairman Prof Attahiru Jega, to fish out those behind the sabotage and sanction them appropriately.

”If INEC is to organise a free, credible and transparent election next February, it must quickly return to the drawing board to fashion out how to ensure that all Nigerians who are eligible to vote are able to do so without hindrance, and also purge itself of the fifth columnists within its ranks, who are bent on sabotaging the elections,” Musa said.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/inec-pressure-pvcs-distribution/

Nigeria cha .

wat z der to distribute

Seconded, TVC should also be used, because wetin I see last week, be like say people never even collect their PVC's at all