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2023: PDP charges Lagos INEC on impartiality

Adediran, Jandor addressing INEC officials at their office at Yaba

…Report any Electoral Officer subverting PVC collection for sanction -REC

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has charged the

Lagos State Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), to build high level of impartiality in all their conducts leading to the forthcoming 2023 general elections in order to give Lagosians the ideal democracy of their dream.

The Lagos PDP Governorship candidate, Olajide Adediran, popularly called Jandor made the call on Monday when he paid a courtesy visit to the INEC office in Yaba, Lagos State.

Jandor had during his visit to the leadership of Alaba International market Ojo and other interest groups, last week promised to visit the state resident electoral Commissioner to rub minds on ways of achieving seemless and rancour free voters card registration.

On some of the challenges earlier outlined by the INEC Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC), James Popola, ranging from double registration, extension of time, lack of sufficient registration centres in some areas and others, Jandor assured that his party in the state will contribute it’s quota to sensitise the people.

He called on the REC to replicate the kind of arrangement they have in Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in the local government areas across the state that still have issues of registration.

“We will embark on an aggressive campaign to ensure that our people pick -up the PVCs that are still in your custody. The number that you just mentioned is huge. If I should have that number of voters for me in the coming election, then I have won the election.

“We will see where we can support and I can assure you that we will support the commission. We wish that you will be unbiased as you said and come 2023, you will declare PDP winner of the governorship election in Lagos State for the very first time,” Jandor said.

Earlier in his speech the REC, Popola had assured the PDP team that the electoral body will sanction any electoral officer (EO) who politicizes the collection of the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to registered voters.

Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, INEC Chairman

On the emphasis made on equal playing ground for all contestants by Jandor, Popola said that the electoral umpire will improve on its performance in the Ekiti State governorship election, stressing that the improvements that will be recorded in Osun will dwarf that of Ekiti and will get better in subsequent elections

On issues bordering on politicising PVC’s collection, Popola said that anyone who sees an electoral officer politicising PVC collection in the state should call his telephone number which is in the public domain, that they will be marvelled by steps that will be taken against such fellow.

“PVCs are meant to be collected and not distributed. It is not given by proxy. The person collecting it had to be physically present. If you have any information on any Electoral Officer who connives with politicians to pervert distribution of PVCs, please report such to us.”

Among the challenges worrying the agency at the moment according to Popola include erolling in fresh registrations rather than going to collect PVCs from where they had done registration.

“The youth have requested an extension of the date and I am sure that the chairman will look into it. He has been in Ekiti for the election and after that, he will have the time to look at that request.

“Whatever the commission decides to do we will act on it. If the commission asks us to extend, we will extend and if they want to close on the 31st or 30th of this month, we will act but I am sure that the commission will weigh the various options.

“Those who have lost their PVCs or their PVCs have defaced need not go for fresh registration.

“We also want the political parties to partner with us as mobilization and sensitization of voters are not only the responsibility of the commission.

“The issue of PVC collection is plaguing us. It will be shocking to you to know that after the Easter holidays we have over 34,000 PVCs which is a dude from over 1 million PVCs over the year which have not been collected. It is not only important for them to register, but they should also collect the PVCs after registration.

“Politicians should help us appeal to people to collect their PVCs because on election day what matters is whether you have your PVC and not if you have registered. PVC will be a continuous exercise, even when we go into campaign people can still collect their PVCs even two or three days before the election,” Popola said.

It will be recalled that INEC had early this month through its Deputy Director, Voter Education, Mrs. Mary Nkem, at the launch of the PVC Bus Drive Project, organised by a non-governmental organisation, Advocacy for Civic Engagement (ACE), in Abuja, expressed concern that over 20 million permanent voter cards are lying unclaimed in its vault.