Tuesday, August 27, 2024 -The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has strongly refuted allegations that its officials are involved in selling Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the upcoming September 21 Governorship Election in Edo State.
The allegations were brought forward
by the civic group Transparency for Electoral Systems Advocacy (TESA), but INEC
has challenged the group to provide concrete evidence to support its claims.
Chief Press Secretary to the INEC
Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, addressed the allegations, categorically stating
that INEC does not sell PVCs but issues them free of charge to registered
voters. Oyekanmi dismissed the accusations as false, noting that such claims
often surface from partisan groups as major elections approach.
Oyekanmi also emphasized that the
introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has made it
virtually impossible for anyone to vote using another person’s PVC. He assured
that any uncollected PVCs cannot be used in the upcoming Edo State election,
and any attempt to do so will result in arrest and prosecution by law
enforcement agencies on Election Day.
The collection process for PVCs in Edo
State began on August 22 in 192 Wards and is set to conclude on August 26.
Oyekanmi pointed out that the notion of ‘uncollected PVCs’ is unfounded since
the collection process has just started. Collection will continue at INEC’s 18
Local Government Offices from August 28 to September 8, 2024.
INEC has urged TESA and any individuals
with evidence of unethical conduct by Electoral Officers to submit their
findings to the Commission for immediate investigation and action.
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