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PVCs Collection: INEC Decries Voters Apathy In Enugu, Express Readiness

By Lawrence Njoku (Enugu)
20 February 2015   |   11:00 pm
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Enugu said it is using the shift in the date of the general elections to tackle challenges that were not there before now.   Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in Enugu State, Prof Chukwuemeka Onukogu told The Guardian that the electoral body has made some considerable progress.   “We…

Onukugo-pix-21-2-15--

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Enugu said it is using the shift in the date of the general elections to tackle challenges that were not there before now.

  Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in Enugu State, Prof Chukwuemeka Onukogu told The Guardian that the electoral body has made some considerable progress.

  “We were at about 63 per cent, but now we are 77 per cent and remember there were many zero units here. INEC is now at every ward in Enugu State every day and if residents go to any ward daily including

on Sunday they will find my people there to collect their voters’ card.

  “The only danger is that our people usually come at the late hour; they come around 6.30pm when the boys are tired and want to go home. That is when you find them returning from the market. The apathy is still there, but I will be able to deliver more than 80 per cent before March 8. Enugu State is peculiar.

  “There were many students in University of Nigeria Nsukka in 2011 who registered for the election; there were many students in ESUT, IMT, Eha-Amafu, who registered but have left Enugu State. Their cards will be here, so I don’t expect to distribute 100 per cent. But I will gravitate towards 80 or 90 per cent,” he said. 

  In the area of voters education, the REC said the process has began, stressing that the Commission was employing the services of traditional rulers and stakeholders, among others.

 “On the issue of how to vote properly, we really have not done that, we are lucky we have this window; we will use the opportunity to go round. We will start from Monday from the markets and churches. I have not done enough in this area, but we will concentrate on that between now and March 28. Ideally, this should be the function of the political parties, but they are not doing the job. We will not wait for them, we will take it up.

  “My primary motive is to provide a level playing ground for everybody and the people will determine who should represent them. In Anambra State, I provided a level playing ground; that is one state where you have about five parties in the State House of Assembly. I have not changed and no one can change me.” 

  Onukuogu said the commission was making use of youth corps members in the issuing of the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

 Okafor Okechukwu, who collected his PVC at a polling unit in Uwani, Enugu South council on Wednesday morning, agreed with the commission that there is an improvement in the cards distribution. He said that it took him less than three minutes to collect his card.

  He said that while he was there, a group of people came with Temporary Voters Card (TVCs) which they wanted to exchange for the (PVCs), but the INEC ad-hoc staff refused. To this, Onukogu said:

  “It is wrong to collect the PVCs by proxy. It should not be allowed and if we receive report of any of our official who engages in it, we will sanction the person. It was wrong and we have told them so.”

  However, David Onuoha, who said he registered at a polling unit in Obe, Nkanu West Council, said he had not been able to collect his PVC, despite visiting the place severally. 

 “It is either the INEC people are not on duty or they will tell you one story or the other. I was told to come back, that they did not see the card. I have not gone again because of time constraints,” he said.

  Nnaji Chris said he has not been able to spot his PVC at the polling unit where he registered, even as there are other claims that many residents in the rural areas are finding it difficult to collect the cards.

  One of the political parties, the APC, had recently accused the Commission staff of conniving with PDP agents to hoard the cards saying the aim was to use it to rig the polls.

  Despite the challenges posed by the PVCs distribution, the rate of awareness is on the high side with churches now in the forefront of ensuring that their members who registered collected their cards before the elections.

  Perhaps, one area that the INEC will have to work on seriously in the state is the use of the card reader. On Wednesday, the device failed to work when the Commission tried to demonstrate to the pubic how the device works. For over 45 minutes, INEC technical officer tried in vain to accredit a registered voter with his PVC. 

    However Onukogu assured that the device will work, stressing that the failure was as a result of lack of software configured with the new dates for the polls.

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