Across the country, many citizens, who trooped to their wards to collect their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, yesterday, expressed fears that they may not be able to vote during next month’s presidential election and other polls.

Reason: “Getting our PVCs has become a tug of war. We are not sure that we will get the cards. The crowd is too much. INEC has been telling people to go and collect their PVCs without making it easy for people to do so. I have been going to the Local Government for days without success,” One of the residents stated, yesterday in Abuja.

In Lagos, another resident put it this way: I registered at Ago, the collection centre was at Oshodi Local Government. How many people will go that far to collect their PVCs? But I went two times and couldn’t collect my PVC. The crowd was unbelievable and INEC officials were not organised. I have tried but INEC appears to be disfranchising people. I fear I’m one of them because I went to the ward at Isolo today (Friday) and still couldn’t collect after spending seven hours. I don’t think I’ll go back there.”

To quicken the process of collecting the cards, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, started distributing the cards at the Ward level, yesterday. But it was still clumsy in many areas as the Ago resident pointed out. The ward-level exercise would only last between January 6 and 15, 2023, after which the exercise reverts to INEC local government offices till January 23. Going by our findings, many will not collect their PVS before the collection deadline.

Before now, the PVCs were only available for collection at the commission’s 774 local government offices across the country.

A visit to the ward centres, yesterday, revealed a mixed-bag of issues. While some centres had low turnout of residents and seamless distribution of the PVCs it was tales of woes in many others with huge turnout of residents.

Mixed bag in Lagos

In Lagos, the turnout of residents ranged from low, to moderate and high. The distribution was smooth in wards where the turnout was low but herculean in wards with high turnout of residents.

One of the residents, who went to Oshodi Isolo LGA to collect her PVC, had a tale of lamentation to tell.

According to her, the crowd was large, distribution was disorderly and some agents extorted people.

She said: “As at 9:30 am when I arrived at the centre a large crowd was already there. Some claimed they had been coming for days without success while some said they came as early as 6am.

“No INEC official was on hand to give relevant information on what is required or how to go about it. Everybody was just waiting under the scorching sun.

“Those who could afford to pay paid money to some agents who collect peoples’ slips and go inside to bring their cards. Some, who couldn’t pay, stayed outside the gate waiting endlessly. Some paid as high as N3000 while some paid more. A man who collected his card after paying N3000 begged the agent to help the wife but the pleas fell on deaf ears as the agent insisted he must pay another N3000 for his wife.

“Another thing that played out there was the issue of tribes. Most of the people waiting were non-indigenes.”

Smooth collection in Oriade LCDA

However, the collection of the PVCs was smooth in ward G and F of Ijegun/Satellite town, as well as Amuwo Grammar School, Agboju, the centre for all the polling units in Agboju-Amuwo where the turnout of residents was moderate

One of the residents, Mr. Umeh Onyeka, said: “The process was smooth, in less than 10 minutes I collected my own, I will urge everyone to come out and collect their own”.

Another resident, Mrs. Loreta Kanayo, said: “The process for now is just fantastic. With the turnout, the election will change the narrative of governance in Nigeria.”

Also speaking, the police officer attached to the ward said that the process was peaceful

“You can see for yourself, nobody is fomenting trouble, in under 10 to 15 minutes you get your PVC without paying anybody.”

The INEC ADHOC supervisor, Agatha Ugu, urged people that are yet to collect their PVCs to take advantage of the proximity to get their PVC during weekends.”

Disappointment in Ondo

In Ondo State, the turnout at various wards across the 18 Local councils visited was impressive and the INEC officials had a tough time attending to the prospective voters. However, many of them left the centres when they were not attended to by officials of the commission.

At one of the centres at Methodist Primary School, Gbogi, Mr. Ademola Oluwatope, lamented at about 2pm: “l came around at 8 am, they have not attended to me. We were given a list to write our names but the number of officials posted to ward three is inadequate.

“The list they brought had 966 names. I registered on another sheet of paper as number 50. As at 2pm, they had not attended to me. Everything was not orderly.”

A similar scenario was observed in many wards in Akure South LGA of the state. Many prospective voters said they had spent hours and were not able to pick up their cards. Some said the officials informed them that their PVCs had not arrived at the collection centres.

One of those who got their cards said he spent about three hours before he was able to collect his PVC and noted that “the process is not too tidy as the officials failed to make adequate provisions for the smooth collection of the cards.

“If you look around, you will notice that we are not too many but we are not orderly and it makes the process to be cumbersome. The officials should design a way to make the process easier and the crowd should be controlled.”

At ward 6, in Town hall, Oda town of Akure South local government, Mrs Agnes Aribisala, said she had spent about two hours on the queue only to be told that her card was not ready.

Aribisala said “INEC should devise a means of getting prospective voters to inform them if their cards are ready, rather than coming here to waste time and energy to find out that the card is not ready.

“Since they have our contact number, they should send text messages to inform us about the card. I have been here for two hours but found out that my card is not ready.”

She also urged the commission to put in place adequate security, noting that some hoodlums tried to hijack the process.

Mammoth crowd, tedious process in Osun

In Osogbo, the Osun state capital, though INEC officials were at the visited wards, the process was tedious, thereby discouraging prospective voters from collecting their PVCs.

The officials had a difficult time attending to the huge number of people on the queue.

Those who spoke expressed their frustration with the process, showing skepticism if they would be able to vote in the general elections.

According to Ismail Ademola, a trader, I got to this place at 8am and as at 12noon I have not been attended, which is the reason I am going back to my business and will possibly return after Jumat service.

Another resident, John Adewale berated the officials for not being diligent with the process and urged the commission to further decentralise the process to the unit level to allow everyone access to their PVCs.

Disappointment in Bayelsa

Most registered voters who besieged the collection centres at the various wards to pick up their PVCs in the predominantly riverine Bayelsa State, were yesterday disappointed as there were no officials to attend to them.

As of 12.35pm, officials from the Yenagoa office of the INEC deployed to the 15 wards in Yenagoa LGA for the exercise were yet to depart for their respective areas of assignment.

When visited the collection centres for Atissa I, II & III,Ovom, Famgbe and Ogu wards, Tombia, Agudama-Ekperiama, Epie I, II, III, Opolo, Agudama-Epie, Amarata; Gbarain I, II & III, Ogboloma, Okolobiri, Polaku and others where the absence of the officials was observed.

Some of the registered voters who turned out to pick up their PVCs said there were no officials to attend to them

“I came out as early as 9am based on what we were told by INEC that the collection exercise would commence today but there was no official on ground to attend to us,” Collins Owei said.

However, a senior official at the Yenagoa LGA INEC office, who spoke anonymously, assured that the noticeable hitches had been resolved and officers set to depart to their designated area of assignment.

Also, the situation was not different at Imiringi collection centre in Ogbia LGA, where the exercise was stalled as there was no INEC officer on ground.

“The exercise is yet to commence here (Imiringi). We are yet to see any INEC official. But we believe that they will show up before the 3pm closing time, “Pastor Enato said at 1.35pm.

However, in some parts of Yenagoa Wards, 1, 2 and 5, and some parts of Ogbia Local Government Area, the collection centres were virtually empty.

One of the officials in Opolo Ward 5 Yenagoa Local Government Area, said that festive season was responsible for the low turnout as some persons who travelled for the Christmas and New Year holidays had not yet returned.

A native of Famgbe Town in Yenagoa Ward 2, Mr. Ovie Sinikem described the process as easy, noting that it did take him long to get his PVC after submitting his printout.

“I want to commend INEC for making the process easy for the people, I didn’t spend up to 10 minutes before my PVC was sorted out for me, “ he said.

The Public Relations Officer, INEC, Bayelsa State, Mrs Sarian Thomas, said the commission had mobilised officials and materials for a hitch free exercise and expressed confidence that more people would come for their PVCs.

She said: “The Commission is working with the various communities, sensitizing the leadership to mobilise their people at the community and ward levels to ensure a hitch free exercise. Today is just the beginning and the first day, so we expect more people to come out for their PVCs.”

Confusion in C/River

In Cross River State, the turnout of residents was massive but the process was very slow.

At the Government Technical College, Mayne Avenue, Calabar, the ward 12 Collection Centre, hundreds of voters who came for their cards crowded around the officials prompting them to stop the distribution temporarily and engage the crowd in a shouting match.

“Everybody should move back if not, nobody will get his or her card” an INEC official shouted, and the crowd responded with more shouts causing a near pandemonium.

At Edgerly Memorial Girls Secondary School, the story was the same as the officials seemed overwhelmed by the crowd.

An official, who gave his name as Etim, said the distribution would last for 10 days and therefore he was surprised that the crowd was restive and impatient.

“Everyone is going to get his card, I am at a loss why these people are not taking it easy,” Etim said, shaking his head.

At the Government Secondary School,State Housing, Calabar, some persons complained that their names were not among the cards being distributed.

“I registered, saw my name on the list displayed but they are telling me my card is not there. What happened to the card?” Theresa Archibong queried.

About five persons complained that their cards were not available which the INEC official told Saturday Vanguard, would be looked into after the 10 days distribution.

“We shall collate all the names of those whose cards are not here and send them to national office for appropriate action,” he said.

Low turnout mars exercise in Oyo

In Oyo State turnout of residents was low, which some residents attributed to inadequate information from the INEC.

Ibadan South West Electoral Officer for INEC, Mrs. Lola Odewale, said arrangements had been made for the collection in the local government, “but people are not coming out to collect their PVCs, despite due notification.”

“That has been the issue we are having. Despite adequate information, the number of people who have come out to collect their PVCs is still very low,” she lamented.

Some residents at the South West Collection Centre, said they collected their PVCs without hitches.

The Oyo Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Dr. Adeniran Tella, in an interview, promised that the collection of the PVCs collection would be hitch-free, and appealed to residents to go out and collect their cards.

Impressive turnout in Plateau

In Plateau, a mammoth crowd turned out across the various collection points in the hinterlands as locals used the proximity to file out to collect their PVCs.

Collection of PVCs at the Local Government Area offices of INEC in Plateau State was not impressive as only a little over 50,000 PVCs were collected by both fresh registrants and old ones who transferred their cards.

The State Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Egwurube Otokpa, gave a breakdown of the number of cards received and distributed as at December 31, 2022.

He said, in the 17 local government areas of the state, “2019 opening balance as at 28th June 2022 was 68,290; 2019 PVC collected is 8,946; balance of 2019 PVC is 59,344.

“Total fresh registration PVC received in 2021/2022 was 292,949; total fresh registration PVC collected is 20,744. Fresh registration PVCs balance is 272,205. Total transfer PVC received was 233,469; transfer PVC collected is 28,935; and balance of transfer PVC is 204,534.”

Otokpa expressed optimism that the figures would increase as citizens are showing commitment towards the collection of their PVCs.

He said: “The percentage of the collection at the initial stage was not impressive but as we speak, there are mammoth crowds in the various Wards and in our offices. You can be assured that in the next few days, the story will change. A lot of progress is being recorded everywhere.”

Mad rush in Port Harcourt

In Rivers, residents trooped to their ward centres in Port Harcourt, to pick up their PVCs.

At the Orogbum Ward II centre (Orogbum Civic Centre), Port Harcourt City LGA) , which has 40 polling units, INEC staff on duty dispensed ready PVCs to registrants in a peaceful atmosphere under police security.

The INEC officer in charge, just as in other wards visited said: “The exercise is going on well, but we are not permitted to speak to the press or give figures. The state office gets the feedback at the end of the day and they are in a position to give details.”

The situation was not different in other PHALGA and Obio Akpor wards

Geraldine Ekeremu, Public Relations Officer, INEC Rivers State, couldn’t respond to calls and text enquiry as of press time.

Smooth exercise in Edo

In Edo, the distribution of the PVCs went smoothly in most wards visited and the turnout of residents was moderate.

A visit to Oredo local government area, Ward 4; Asoro Primary School along Sokponba Road, Ward 10; Agbado Primary School where Oredo, Ward 12; Igarra Girls Grammar School, Igarra in Akoko-Edo local government area, Ward 1; and Ukulekpe Primary school, Lampese, Ward 3 among others, and observed that the turnout was moderate and those who came were given their PVCs.

Victor Arogunyo, who spoke at Ward 3, Lampese Akoko-Edo local government area, said: “In my area, it was Ukulekpe Primary school, Lampese that is the designated venue for Ward 3 and the turnout is okay. Since last week, we have been doing a lot of sensitization and mobilization for our people to come out.

“The exercise is going on smoothly because we have agreed that to make it smooth and effective we have to collaborate with INEC officials. In terms of logistics, we assisted in any little way to get them to the ward headquarters and all the designated venues early this morning. There is cooperation among all the stakeholders to ensure that the exercise is hitch-free.”

Low turnout in Ogun, Ekiti

In Ogun and Ekiti states, the turnout in many wards was low.

At Ago Oko ward, Erunbe ward, Itesi ward, and Igbore ward in Abeokuta, only a few people came out to collect their PVCs and those who came were given their cards.

In Ekiti, the low turnout was worrisome. At St. Thomas Primary School, Irona in Ward 11 Ado-Ekiti, a few people were seen at the collection centre.

An INEC official, Akintola Opeyemi, decried the low turnout in the area saying: “We have started distribution of voters cards at the ward level. So, it’s going to close on 15th of January for ward level. After the distribution at the ward level, it will continue in the office till 23rd of this month to prepare for the election.

“People have been coming even before we brought it to the ward level but not as expected. The turn-up is not as massive as we expect. We have no lingering challenge so far but people are not turning up as expected.”

Mrs Olawunmi Folake, who picked up her PVC, lamented that INEC officials did not come on time and 15 people had left when they did not see INEC officials.

At St. Michael Catholic Nursery and Primary School, Ojido, Ward 13 in Idofin, Ebenezer Ogunmadeji, an INEC official, attributed the low turnout to the last governorship election in the state.

“There is a low turn up of people. I guess it is because of the just concluded governorship election we had in the state. People were massively mobilised then, people came out to collect their PVCs but the reverse is the case now.”

At St Michael Primary School, Water Walks Area 1, Ward 4 Ijigbo, an INEC official, Omoleye Olayinka, said the low turn-up “maybe because people are yet to be back in town after the festive period.” (Saturday Vanguard)

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