Situation Room to INEC: Make collection of PVCs seamless

LEADER of Situation Room and Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, Ene Obi, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to make the collection of Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, seamless for Nigerians.

Ene, in a chat with TrackNews Media, said: “We are looking at the issue of vote buying. However, we feel that the INEC can tidy up some of the ends because what we see in vote buying and vote trading is where the secrecy of the ballot is exposed, and that is a dangerous position in which we can be caught up.

“Through our findings, we noticed that some of the people who go in to make placement expose it to other people to see. What we are saying is that voters can be protected by ensuring that no third party goes close to the voting cubicle to have a look at who they have voted for because the good thing is that the power to elect new leaders now depends on the people but whether that power is compromised by those in charge of the machines and the process is a source of concern.

“There is also the fear of collection of Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, but we hope that people will be able to collect their PVCs so that Nigerians will not be disenfranchised. From the way it started, we can see the willingness of Nigerians in an attempt to collect it. We ask the INEC to do it painlessly, in a way that people don’t have to stay in the queue for a very long time.”