has debunked rumours in the state that the commission had commenced
distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) to people who have not
collected ahead of the Imo supplementary elections slated for April
25.
This move is coming after the All Progressives Congress in the state
had called on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, to immediately redeploy
the Imo REC ahead of the supplementary elections. They accused him of
partisanship and flouting INEC guidelines by directing people to
collect PVCs.
The REC was also accused of refusing to give the accurate number of
registered voters and PVC collected in those areas where elections
will hold.
At a briefing in Owerri, the Director General of Rochas Campaign
Organisation, Alaribe Ihekwuemere, called on INEC chairman to, as a
matter of urgency, redeploy the REC.
In a swift response, the REC said he was mis-interpreted.
He said the commission had not directed anybody to collect PVCs ahead
of the supplementary elections in the state. "The commission, as an
unbiased umpire, remains committed in conducting free, fair and
credible elections in the state".
He further explained that due to some miscalculations, which is not
intentional, the commission failed to give accurate figure for the
number of registered voters in the affected areas. Presently, the
number of registered voters in the area is 146,535 and the commission
is still compiling numbers of PVCs collected in the area and will be
made public before the election, he said.
The supplementary elections will hold in over 250 polling units in 23
Local Government Area across the state.
As Imo indigenes prepare ahead of the elections already fixed for
April 25, it is hoped that INEC, security operatives and all
stakeholders will do their best to ensure violence-free and credible
elections in the state.
--ChannelsTV
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