Lagos Residents Scamper To Collect PVCs; Complain About Poor Organization

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News From The State Sunday, November 9th, 2014

By Ayo Balogun and Funmilayo Omidiji

Three days after the commencement of the distribution of the Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) in Lagos State, residents in the State have complained about possibility of being de – enfranchised as the exercise is still being dragged, leaving many eligible voters scampering to collect their voting material.

In most of the polling units visited by our Correspondents in Ifako Ijaiye, Ikeja and Agege Local Government Areas, Sunday, residents trooped out in large number early, waiting for the INEC officials to attend to them.

AFRICAN EXAMINER Correspondents reported that the electoral officials arrived early, (Sunday) unlike last Friday when the distribution commenced. It would be recalled most officials failed to turn up in time, as those who went to their registration units were disappointed as they could not find their names on the registers, a situation that sent jitters and confusion to many eligible voters.

Still, the challenge faced by most of the residents intend to collect their PVCs on Sunday, was method adopted by the INEC officials and inadequate staff attending to those who visited the registration units.

Our men observed that, against the expectation of many, the PVC in some units were all mixed together without recourse to alphabetic arrangement, while the names of the collectors were being called at random. This, however caused commotion in certain voting units within the Local government areas.

The advice by the collectors to the INEC officials and those giving assisting hands that the collectors should fall on queue alphabetically, while each line is attended to clockwise and anti – clockwise were not taken. Rather, they were told the method being adopted was the best.

Due to this, most of the units were still being over filled with the collectors, without the hope of collecting on Sunday – which was initially scheduled as the official closing day before Monday, November 10, 2014 extension.

A banker, Mrs Abiola Adeleke in new Oko Oba, in Ifako Ijaiye Local council area lamented the “slow pace” the PVCs were being distributed, saying she was not sure of collecting her cards. She regretted that she would not be able to visit her centre week day, noting this might likely cost her the opportunity to collect the PVC and subsequently disqualify her from voting in the coming elections.

Ayo Oyadiyan, an artisan in Ojokoro area, complained of very hard experience before he was able to collect his PVC. He said he waited for hours before his name was called, despite arriving his unit as early as possible, whereas, others who came after him collected theirs, as the officials did not call for any queue, nor call names alphabetically.

He complained the method was too cumbersome, thus also shared that it might endanger the opportunity of many eligible voters.

INEC, sequel to non availability of the Voters’ PVC excluded nine out of the State 20 local government areas of the state in the current exercise.

A National Chieftain of the opposition APC and former State Governor, Bola Tinubu called for cancellation of the exercise on the accounts of many lack lustres, including non availability of the INEC officials to attend to people in the 11 local council areas, the announced drop in State’s total registered eligible Voters from over 6 Million to over 4 Million.

He alleged at a press conference Saturday at the State Party’s secretariat that the ensuing developments were grand design to rig the 2015 general elections.