Low Voter Turnout: INEC Expresses Concern as 241,715 Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo Voters Neglect PVC Collection

Two weeks prior to the October 9, 2023, deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the collection of the cards ahead of the November 11 off-cycle governorship elections in the three states, voters in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa have not yet collected over 241, 715 permanent voter cards.

In Kogi, 107,715 voter cards were ready for pickup, but in Imo State, no less than 134,000 had not yet been claimed by potential voters. The number of unused PVC cards in Bayelsa State couldn’t be found, though.

The electoral commission has cautioned registered voters not to put off picking up their cards; however, it has stated that it will not extend the PVCs collection in the states.

There was no going back on the October 9 deadline, according to both the Chief Public Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, and the Kogi State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Gabriel Longpet. They advised the affected electorates to pick up their PVCs as soon as possible.

The governorship elections in the three states, in which 18 parties are fielding candidates, were set for November 11 by the INEC.

The commission approved the final list of candidates for the three off-cycle governorship elections at its regular meeting on June 6, and it also posted the list online and on social media.

Before to the mandated deadline of June 9, the list of candidates was also made available on June 8 at the affected states’ state and local government offices run by INEC.

According to the list, all 18 political parties are running candidates in Kogi State, Imo State (17), and Bayelsa State (16).

The list also revealed that while Imo State has no female candidates, Kogi and Bayelsa States both have two political parties running female candidates.

While Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State is wrapping up his second term and backing the All Progressives Congress candidate, Usman Ododo, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, and Governor Yahaya Uzodimma of Imo State are all running for reelection.

In response to questions from one of our correspondents, Oyekanmi stated that the current PVC collection exercise was solely for registered voters in the three states who were unable to obtain their PVCs before to the exercise’s suspension on February 5, 2023.

In addition to emphasising that “The commission is not considering an extension of the PVC collection activity at this point,” he urged the registered voters to obtain their PVCs before the deadline.

“Registered voters who have not yet picked up their PVCs still have two weeks to do so,” he continued. According to our observations, more people have a tendency to act just before the deadline, which is not a good practice. Furthermore, it will unfairly put a great deal of strain on our state offices. The earlier voters collect their PVCs, the better.”

The Kogi State REC, Longpet, also echoed Oyekanmi, stating that there would not be an extension of the time earlier scheduled for the collection of the voter cards.

“There will not be any extension of time as we had said that the collection is for four weeks since it is not a nationwide exercise and these are remnants of the cards previously provided for collection,’’ he explained.

On the number of the PVCs collected so far collected, the REC said, “From the daily reports sent to me, so far, 11,307 PVCs have been collected up to the 21st September, out of a total number of 119,022.We have two weeks to go.

“We have been broadcasting and urging people in the various local languages to go out and collect their PVCs. We have translated the jingles in Ebira, Igala, Okun, Nupe, and Hausa, in addition to English.”

Speaking on the situation in Imo State, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof Sylvia Agu, disclosed that INEC resumed the issuance of PVCs for the election on September 11 and that the exercise would continue till October 9.

“INEC still has about 134,000 uncollected PVCs in Imo piled in the 27 local government council secretariats of the state.

“I urge Imo residents to collect their PVCs at the INEC offices in their council areas, while those in Orlu Local Government Area should collect theirs at the state office in Owerri.

“Apart from the 27 local government area offices, INEC has also created some centres for PVC collection for Registration Areas that have more than 1,000 uncollected PVCs. Remember that PVCs cannot be collected by proxy and they must be exchanged with the Temporary Voter Cards,’’ she stated.

“INEC has gone a step further to gather the phone numbers of owners of uncollected PVCs in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi to send bulk SMS to them,’’ Agu added, assuring that the commission was fully prepared for the election.

She revealed that all non-sensitive materials had been received and would be distributed to the various local government areas appropriately.

“The Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security of which the police is the lead agency is on top of the security situation and shall draw up security architecture for the exercise,’’ she further explained.

The INEC’s Public Relations officer in the state, Chinenye Osuji, who spoke to our correspondent in Owerri on Sunday said that the commission was encouraging people to collate their PVCs.

“As of Wednesday last week, a little over 134,000 persons have yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards. We don’t know what the issue is but we are encouraging people to collect their PVCs,” she elaborated.

The INEC office in Bayelsa State declined to give precise the number of unclaimed PVCs when contacted on Sunday.

The commission’s Head of Department, Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Inclusivity in Bayelsa, Mr Wilfred Ifogah, said the uncollected PVCs in its Yenagoa office were from the previous exercise.

He said people currently collecting their PVCs included those who registered newly, those who could not pick up their PVCs after they transferred their PVCs, and those who lost their voter cards.

Ifogah said, “When you talk about collected and uncollected PVCs in the state, why I don’t want to give those figures is that it won’t add up to anything because what we have are uncollected PVCs from the previous exercise. It’s not like they brought anything new.

‘’Moreso, the PVCs are not just for people who registered newly but it has to do with both those who registered newly and unable to pick them and those who requested for a reprint of their PVCs, and those who did transfer whose cards have come in.

“So, from the overall statistics, if we really want to know those who have collected, we have to wait for the end of the exercise to know those that have collected, who registered newly.

“’But right now, everyone picking involves those who registered newly, those who were unable to pick up their own when they did transfer and those who lost their PVCs. Right now, I don’t have an idea of the total uncollected PVCs.”

He, however, added that the commission would not extend the October 9 deadline for registration and collection of PVCs.

“Nobody will extend the deadline. By October 9th, it will be a few weeks to the election because already we are having our own training. By that October we will start training the ad hoc staff for the exercise, so every hand will be on deck.

“Right now, I won’t single out any greatest challenge because apart from us carrying out sensitisation activities, and hoping that voters and stakeholders will abide by the rules, we can’t really talk about any challenge. If you talk about funding, I know that the commission is already prepared for it so that’s not a challenge for now”, Ifogah added.

Commenting on the high number of unclaimed voter cards in Imo, the Peoples Democratic Party in the state said it was worried that thousands of people were yet to pick up the facility.

The Director-General of PDP New Media, Lancelot Obiaku said, “The low number is not unconnected with the performance of the electoral umpire and the security agencies in the last general election. It is a protest against injustice and electoral malpractice backed by institutions that ordinarily should promote justice and fairness.

“’The people are angry over a situation where the PDP was getting landslide victories in various constituencies of the state only for INEC and security agencies to collude with the APC to rig the elections.

“However, as a party, we are not worried as even if an average of 10 persons come out to vote at all the polling units, seven will vote for PDP. We are only demanding that the security agencies and INEC be fair. We will win the governorship election. Imo people will not condone any form of injustice again.”

The Legal Adviser of the Labour Party in Imo State, Emeka Ihejirika, equally expressed concern over the huge number of unclaimed PVCs.

Credit Punch