Help, INEC Is Keeping My PVC, Paseda Cries Out

...We'll Check Our ICT Database, INEC Replies

ABEOKUTA - The Ogun governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Otunba Rotimi Paseda, has pleaded with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately release his Permanent Voter's Card (PVC) to allow him participate in the forthcoming elections. 

Paseda, who addressed journalists yesterday in Abeokuta, the state capital, said privileged information at his disposal indicated that the commission is already collaborating with some politicians for the purpose of releasing PVCs to them.

The SDP guber candidate alleged that INEC has declined releasing his PVC since August 2018 when he requested for a re-print of the card because information on the card had pealed off.

Paseda said he was disturbed by the response of the Odogbolu local government office of the commission which later told him that information about him does not exist at the INEC's data base.

He said the refusal of the commission to release his card, with which he used to exercise his civic responsibility during the year 2015 general elections however, comfirmed the rumour that the commission was selling people's PVCs in Ogun state.

"I approached the INEC office in Odogbolu Local Government office where one Miss Akinwande,  an Electoral Officer in the local government area attended to my complaint. Miss Akinwande collected the original PVC after making a photocopy of the same card and advised that I should be checking for a re-print of the card".

Copy of the protest letter sent to INEC Chairman in Abuja

"I have been visiting the Odogbolu area office of INEC to see how to pick my PVC since then till today Tuesday 12th February, 2019. Surprisingly however, I was told by one Mr. Sam in the Electoral Officer's (E.O) office that my data does not exist at the commission's data base" .

"This give me  clear conviction that INEC is not trustworthy in the national assignment for which it was commissioned to do". 

"For goodness sake, how could a PVC used by myself, a governorship candidate of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) during the year 2015 general elections and now a governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in this year's general elections suddenly disappear from the data base of INEC?"

Displaying a copy of the protest letter which he sent to INEC's National Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Paseda however, appealed to the commission to wash itself clean of the allegation of conniving with politicians in selling PVCs.

"How on earth does the commission intend to wash itself clean of the allegations that it is involved in selling people's PVCs?"

Responding to the allegation of selling PVCs in Ogun, INEC's Administrative Secretary, James Oludele Popoola denied the allegation leveled against the state office of the commission.

Popoola, who spoke with Leadership Correspondent on phone, emphasised that the strategy adopted by his commission would make it extremely difficult for anyone to use another person's PVC to vote during the forthcoming general elections.

"It is not true: we are not selling people's PVCs in Ogun because it will be difficult for anyone to use another person's PVC to vote because of the Card Reading Machine which will display the bio-date of all eligible voters".

"That notwithstanding, I need to cross check Paseda's claim from the Information Communication Technology (ICT) department as well as the Voters' Registry to be able to authenticate his claim".

"But I want to assure you that we are not selling PVCs here in Ogun: it's a baseless accusation".

END