A group of aggrieved eligible voters in Borno State has threatened to sue Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged non-distribution of their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for the 2023 general elections.
Spokesman of the group, Ishaku Yakubu, disclosed this in Maiduguri, yesterday, at a news conference, held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) press centre.
Yakubu claimed all attempts to get PVCs from the Commission have been frustrated.
He said: “The eligible persons you see here, this afternoon, and a host of many others, who have not been able to collect their PVCs, are registered. Our names are in the INEC official electronic voter register but we are yet to receive our PVCs.”
He said: “We have people in the thousands (including myself) who have been going to INEC offices to collect their PVCs. Up till now, we are yet to collect our cards. INEC has previously announced to the media that all PVCs were ready for collection.”
He expressed concern over alleged plot to disenfranchise thousands of people. According to him, there appears to be no reason for withholding the PVCs.
“All of us here and many others who sought replacement of lost or damaged cards, especially between May and July 2022, have not been given PVCs,” he said.
But responding, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mohammed Ibrahim, said most of the complainants without PVCs might have registered more than once. “That is why they did not get them,” he said.
He explained that there was a window opened for them to get their cards, which could happen only when they write to his office, seeking redress.
He assured that cases have been documented and they would receive their cards if they come to INEC’s office.
