Prospective
voters
for
tomorrow’s
governorship
and
state
Houses
of
Assembly
elections
should
not
approach
polling
units
with temporary voter cards (TVCs), as doing that constitute
an electoral offence, the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) warned yesterday.
INEC said only voters with the Permanent Voter Cards
would be allowed to vote, dispelling a call by a north-central
governor urging electorates otherwise.
This is just as INEC said it has directed the Kogi State
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Hussaini Halilu Pai
to oversee and conduct the tomorrow’s polls in Kano,
following the death of the state’s REC, Munkaila Abdullahi in
a fire accident last weekend.
The commission, in a statement yesterday by the
spokesperson of the INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu, frowned
at such orders from a political leader, and warned that
police would not hesitate to arrest whoever appears with
TVC for election tomorrow.
“A particular state governor in the North Central geo-political
zone is reported to have assured voters in the state that
they could come out to vote on Election Day with TVCs if
they do not have the PVC, and that INEC will not be allowed
to insist on the use of card readers for voter accreditation.
“Members of the public are strongly advised to disregard
false assurances that contradict the regulations INEC has
outlined for the Governorship and State Assembly elections.
“The Commission reaffirms that only voters with genuine
PVCs should come out to the polling units on Election Day,
and that guidelines issued on the use of card readers for the
April 11 elections will be strictly applied,” it stated.
The electoral body added that any action infringing on the
stated guidelines would constitute an electoral offence by
any person found culpable.
Resilience of the Nigerian voters to remain peaceful despite
the recorded challenges during the presidential polls was
exemplary and deserves commendation, the commission
said.
“It, however, considers it unfortunate that some leaders
would misguide the public and thereby prepare ground for
needless disruptions to the polling process on April 11.
“INEC hereby warns that any obstruction to the processes it
has put in place for the elections by any person, no matter
how highly placed, will constitute an electoral offence
punishable in law,” added the commission.