Election: PDP accuses INEC of frustrating PVC collection

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of deliberately frustrating the collection of permanent voter cards (PVC’s) across the country.

The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, alleged that ‘compromised’ INEC officials at the collection centres are refusing to issue the PVCs to voters ”thereby frustrating millions of registered voters from getting their voters cards”.

The accusation by the opposition party is coming barely 24 hours to the deadline set by INEC for the collection.

The commission had earlier announced that the PVC collection will end one week to the general elections.

Call for extension

In view of this, the party’s spokesperson called on INEC to extend the collection of PVC’s by three days.

Mr Ologbondiyan alleged that there was a ploy by the APC-led government to disenfranchise many voters.

“The PDP believes that this deliberate refusal to release the PVCs is part of the wider plot by the APC to disenfranchise millions of Nigerians and frustrate their eagerness to vote out President Muhammadu Buhari at the February 16 presidential election and elect-in the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

“The PDP demands explanation from INEC for turning back registered voters who went to collect their PVCs and directing them to come at a later date for an exercise that is programmed to end on Friday.

“Information available to us shows that the APC has plans to use the uncollected PVCs to allocate votes to President Buhari,” the party alleged.