The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured that the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) burnt by hoodlums in Abia State would be reprinted for collection before the presidential election next Feb 16. The electoral umpire, which identified issues relating to collection of PVCs nationwide as its greatest challenge, also said it was working assiduously to prevent reoccurrence of such dastardly act. Hoodlums had on Sunday broke into INEC’s office in Abia and set ablaze thousands of uncollected PVCs.
Similarly in 2015, during the heat of the governorship election in the state, thugs were alleged to have set the INEC office at Omopa on fire, prompting relocation to Umu-Ikaa. According to the INEC National Commissioner, Mr. Mustapha Lecky, Nigerians must trust the resilience of the commission to live up to its responsibility of conducting free, fair and credible election.
Speaking yesterday on a live Television program, “Lunchtime Politics,” the commissioner assured that the electoral body was ready for the conduct of the forthcoming elections in all states, adding that every Nigerian who is able to collect his or her PVC would vote.
“This is a very sad development and unwarranted too, but INEC as a very responsible and responsive agency will rise to the challenge. Now that hoodlums have attacked one of the local council areas in Abia and PVCs burnt, we will quickly reprint them and make them available for collection.
“We have the list of all PVCs uncollected and all those printed from the local governments to the polling unit level. Hence, we can get information from the affected LGA, reconstitute and print them early enough to be collected by their owners,” he said.
On the purchase of Voters Identification number by politicians, Lecky said the action was not only laughable, but shows ingenuity of Nigerian politicians. He explained that the selfish act however would have no effect on the outcome of the elections, as all operations of the commission are not offline. “Nobody can actually attack or do anything remotely to change the outcome of any election in this forthcoming general election,” he assured.
Meanwhile, the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Alex Otti, has condemned the burning of INEC’s Abia office at the weekend. The Director General of the Campaign Organisation, Dr. Max Nduaguibe, who addressed journalists yesterday in Umuahia said, “The arson is planned to force the relocation of INEC office from Umuikaa to Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Headquarters at Omoba.” He said the area is controlled by the PDP adding that the incident was also planned to destroy uncollected PVCs belonging to supporters of APGA in the area.
He also said the incident has the usual signature of agents of the Abia State government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), adding that it was beyond mere coincidence. “The destruction of the office happened barely two days after the massive turn out of supporters at the party’s campaign rallies at Isiala Ngwa North and South local government areas that were addressed by Otti and other APGA candidates,” he added.
However, the PDP in Abia State has reacted to APGA’s allegation that it was responsible for last Saturday’s burning of INEC’s office at Umuikaa. State Publicity Secretary, Okwubunka Don Ubani, told The Guardian that the allegation was false, adding: “It is a lie as PDP has no reason to destroy INEC Office in Isiala Ngwa South is a stronghold of the PDP.”
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