Nigerians have blasted the Independent National Electoral Committee (INEC) over the stress that they are made to go through to get their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVC).

The Commission had recently begun the distribution of PVCs for those who registered from the third quarter of last year. The collection started from December 12 at the Local Government offices nationwide and on Friday, January 6, distribution began at the wards. The collection at the wards would end on January 13 and uncollected PVCs would be returned to the LGAs for distribution till Sunday, January 22, when collection would stop nationwide.

But the distribution of the PVCs have been marred by lack of crowd control in many wards and has been described by Nigerians as shambolic and disorganised. In some cases, some officials have been captured on videos collecting bribes to facilitate easy collection of PVCs.

Nigerians who spoke expressed concerns that due to the poor organisation of the distribution process, many voters would be disenfranchised. They urged INEC to extend the January 22 deadline to February so that more people could pick up their cards.

The media was at Ejigbo High School (Oke-Afa Ejigbo ward) in Lagos at the weekend to observe how the the collection was going on. Our correspondent arrived the center at 12pm and was able to count over 700 voters who had come to collect their PVCs.

Some of them said they had been at the centre for three consecutive days and were unable to collect their cards because INEC officials came in by 11am and by 2pm they had stopped distribution.

“We are worried we may not be able to vote and i personally urged the commission to extend the deadline to enable more people collect their cards,” said a Peter, who identified himself as a youth leader.

The story was the same at Rauf Aregbesola Primary School, Shasha, Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, where many people had come as early as 5am only to be told that their PVCs were not ready, while in Edo State, a viral video showed aggrieved residents blocking the road after they were unable to collect their cards.

Nigerians took to social media to lament their experiences.

Dr. Folaseye said: “My team was at the collection center at Enitan Primary School, Aguda. The story is this Aguda APC councilor with his his people were separating the cards with INEC officials to give only their people and once it got to a “ certain tribe” they were hiding their cards until my team came.

“Finally, my team forced the APC councilor out of the office. Only God knows the havoc that this Aguda APC councilor has done inside this office. We cannot sleep oh! We need to stop all these types of gang up at some INEC offices. My team came to shut them down and force the APC guy out. Please let us all go and fight this battle for our people

The only way we knew about this was from reports we got during this sensitisation exercise.”

Another user, Olarenwaju said: “After excruciating seven hours of waiting for registration and going through another stress waiting to collect my PVC, I finally got it yesterday, while Ikechuwku Moses said: “Did the registration thing since Septembe. At first they (INEC Eti-Osa LGA) said I should go to Obalende and after I disagreed with them, they checked again and found it.”

John Obiora said: “I was told that they couldn’t find my card the four times I went to check at Jos South INEC office. They advised me to come back by second week of January and Nwanja Ejiofor said: “They couldn’t find that of my wife but I collected mine. Meanwhile, we did transfer same day in the same office at almost the same time because we were both attended to by different officials at the same time. We’re planning on going back next week to recheck.”

Henry Nnamdi said: “In Ibeju Lekki INEC office, I did a transfer since January 2022 and they said they can’t find my card”, while Chinwendu Obieze said: “My younger one went to pick up my mom and his own voters card. They found his own but can’t find my mom’s own. They will be coming to the Catholic Church near us this Sunday to distribute all the yet to be collected voters cards.”

Daniel Jona said: “A lot of people have been told their cards can’t be found in Eti Osa LGA Lagos State. I was told same but I insisted until they found and gave me. They don’t even allow people into the LGA while Anastasia Nworah said: “I have gone to Ojo INEC office at Igbede three times they told me to come back second week of January. I don’t know what to do”, while Samuel Paulitodo said: “I traveled eight hours to Ogugu 11 ward, Kogi State and with my name on their website, they still can’t find my card.” (Daily Sun)

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