Stolen PVCs Won't Make Any Impact At The Polls

Source: thewillnigeria.com

SAN FRANCISCO, January 18, (THEWILL) – Politicians across the country have been told that the hijack or stealing of Permament Voter Cards (PVCs) would amount to an exercise in futility as it won't count during elections.

Passing down this message on Sunday was the Borno State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),Prof. Tukur Sa'ad.

His warning came amid the reported case of mass theft of PVCs in the state resulting in accusations and counter-accusations between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The REC who spoke at a media briefing in Maiduguri, the state capital, explained that stealing or hijacking of PVCs will not give advantage to any political party during the election.

“Well, I have not heard the information on the alleged stealing or hijacking of PVCs by politicians in Borno. But if that is true, it is an exercise in futility, ” Sa'ad said.

Explaining further, Sa'ad said; “Stealing or hijacking PVCs will not make impact at the polls because no individual can use another person's PVC on the election date.

“INEC is going to place card reading machines at every Polling Unit, the machine must recognise a voter before being issued with a ballot paper.”

The REC further said that the finger print of every voter must tally with that of the PVC before being allowed to vote.

He added: “All those buying PVCs or hijacking them are just wasting their time. As far as INEC is concerned, there is no chance for them on Election Day.”

Advising those whose PVCs are missing to be patient or take part in the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in order to be captured for the polls even as he admitted that some Polling Units in the state were not presented with PVCs due to machines- related technical problems.

According to the REC, “Some few Polling Units had no PVCs because the number of registered voters in those units were very few. The machine decided to wipe out the register because of the low number of voters on the list.”

He however said those affected by the problem can still participate in the CVR to get captured for the polls, promising that INEC will continue with the CVR at the ward level even after the conclusion of the distribution of the PVCs at Polling Units.

“Our vehicles have already left for Abuja to evacuate the remaining PVCs that have just arrived the country for distribution in the state. This means that people can still get their PVCs few days to the election or even on voting day,” he explained.