Politicians Are Buying Up PVCs From Voters – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has raised alarm over the harvest of Voter Identification Numbers and buying up of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from potential voters by some desperate politicians in the country.

This was as the Commission announced that two persons were recently convicted for illegal possession of PVCs in Sokoto and Kano states.

These were disclosed by the National Commissioner overseeing the FCT, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Plateau states, Malam Mohammed Haruna, during the launch of the #YourVoteMatters project by an election observer group, NESSACTION.

Haruna therefore warned the electorates to desist from compromising the ownership of their PVCs, stressing that by selling their PVCs, they are aiding illegal possession of the PVCs which is a serious offence as contained in the Electoral Act

In the words of Haruna; “I urge people to collect their PVCs, keep them safely and make sure that on election day, you go out there and cast your votes because without your PVC you cannot vote.

“We are aware some politicians are more or less buying the PVCs. If you collect the PVC and then you sell it out or allow someone else to have it, you are aiding illegal possession of the PVC which is an offence in our Electoral Act,” he said.

Speaking in turn, the Executive Director of NESSACTION, Eniola Cole, said the project scheduled for implementation in the FCT, Nasarawa, and Plateau states, would provide logistics and give incentives to communities with low PVC collection rates.

While commending INEC for the gains made so far in the electoral process through technology and other reforms, Cole implore members of the public to take advantage of the timeframe set by the Commission for PVC collection at the various Local Government Area offices nationwide from December 12, 2022 to January 5, 2023, and at the 8809 Registration Areas from January 6 to 22, 2023, including Saturdays and Sundays.

According to Cole; “The public can, through dedicated channels, inform us of their location in order to receive support including the PVC collection buses and community outreach activities to be conducted at the local level in each state by our community mobilisation officers”.

The project which is being supported by the International Foundation for Electoral System; the United States Agency for International Development and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is aimed at assisting INEC in increasing the number of PVCs collected ahead of the 2023 General Elections as well as voters’ mobilization on election day.