The Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday accused politicians of purchasing Permanent Voter Cards and financially incentivizing voters to harvest their Voter Identification Numbers in advance of the general elections of 2023.Information Guide Nigeria
The commission also reported that two individuals were recently convicted for illegal possession of PVCs in the states of Sokoto and Kano.
Mohammed Haruna, the acting chairman of INEC and National Commissioner for the FCT, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Plateau States, sounded the alarm in Abuja during the launch of the #YourVoteMatters project by an election observer group, NESSACTION.
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The International Foundation for Electoral System, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office supported the undertaking.
It aims to assist INEC in increasing the number of PVCs collected prior to the general elections of 2023 and the number of voters mobilized on election day.JAMB portal
Haruna said, “We are aware that some politicians are more or less buying the PVCs. If you collect the PVC and then you sell it out or allow someone else to have it, you are aiding illegal possession of the PVC which is an offence in our Electoral Act.
“Some of you are aware that only recently, INEC managed to convict two people who were found guilty of illegal possession of PVCs in Kano and Sokoto. So, I urge people to collect their PVCs, keep them safely, and make sure that on election day, you go out there and cast your votes because, of course, without your PVC you cannot vote.”NYSC portal
Eniola Cole, the executive director of NESSACTION, indicated that the project intended to be implemented in the states of FCT, Nasarawa, and Plateau will provide logistical support and financial incentives to areas with low PVC collection rates.
She lauded INEC’s technological and other reform-driven improvements to the electoral process.
Cole said, “We implore the general public to take advantage of the timeframe set by INEC for PVC collection at the Commission’s LGA offices nationwide from December 12, 2022, to January 5, 2023, and at the 8809 Registration Areas from January 6, 2023, to January 22, 2023, including Saturdays and Sundays.
“The public can, through dedicated channels, inform us of their location to receive support including the PVC collection buses and community outreach activities to be conducted at the local level in each state by our community mobilisation officers.”JAMB Result
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