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‘Jega, where are our PVCs?

By Tope Templer Olaiya
19 February 2015   |   2:56 pm
• Non-indigenes in Lagos protest against alleged marginalization and non-issuance of voter cards HUNDREDS of non-indigenes in Lagos yesterday marched to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Yaba to protest alleged marginalisation in the distribution of the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC).    The protesters, who were leaders of the South-South and South-East groups…

PVC-protest

• Non-indigenes in Lagos protest against alleged marginalization and non-issuance of voter cards

HUNDREDS of non-indigenes in Lagos yesterday marched to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Yaba to protest alleged marginalisation in the distribution of the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC).

   The protesters, who were leaders of the South-South and South-East groups in Lagos, brandishing their Temporary Voter’s Cards (TVCs) stormed the INEC office with various placards, demanding their PVCs to enable them to vote in the forthcoming elections.

   Some of the placards read: “No PVC, no peace, no election,” “INEC, release our PVCs please,” “Jega, where are our PVCs?” “Non-indigenes refuse to be disenfranchised,” among many others.

   Some of the leaders who spoke to newsmen said some local councils where there is a large population of non-indigenes were deliberately being disallowed from getting their PVCs. 

   Apollinaris Akpejiro, a youth leader from Alimosho Local Council, said: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) knows that non-indigenes are stakeholders in this election and it believes rightly or wrongly that we have sympathy for a particular candidate other than its candidate, which is why it is orchestrating this marginalisation to deny many of us of our PVCs.”

   Responding to their demand, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Lagos, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, apologised to the group for the troubles and hassles they had faced in getting their PVCs but said the delay was not deliberate.

   “As at today, I am aware the cards are not available in Mushin, Oshodi Isolo, Alimosho, Badagry, Ajeromi Ifelodun and other areas. There is, however, no deliberate intention to deny anyone of his card whether an indigene or non-indigene.

   “We will distribute the cards before the election and to hasten the process, every weekend from this Saturday, we will take the cards from the local councils to the polling units to ensure that all Nigerians get their PVCs,” he pledged.

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