Reports that staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC are colluding with some APC politicians in Lagosbstate to manipulate the distribution of the Permanent Voers Card, PVC is false, the electoral umpire has said.
Allegations surfaced recently that some INEC staff in Lagos are working together with a particular political party to ensure that Igbo people living in some parts of Lagos are being prevented from collecting their PVCs.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had suggested that some politicians in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, are trying to ensure that a section of the country residing in the state are prevented from voting for the candidates of their choice in next month’s general election.
But, INEC said the allegation is unfounded and baseless.
Responding to the allegation, Olusegun Agbaje, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, said he was shocked by the allegation, describing it as a “false allegation” that cannot be substantiated.
The refuttal is contained in a statement by Mrs Adenine Tadese, Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity in Lagos state, and cited by the magazine.
“It is pertinent to clarify and correct the frivolous accusation by PDP that some INEC staff are colluding with members of the ruling party in the state to deny some groups of people access to collect their PVCs,” Agbaje said.
“Mention was equally made of Mr Muyiwa Yusuf, the Head of Department VR/ICT INEC in the state who was alleged to have connived with the APC to clone the faces of voters through the privileged access he has to the PVCs.
“It has become necessary to comment on the recent report which far from being true, was a gross misrepresentation and diversionary both in content and context.
“It is obvious that this orchestrated story by PDP was fabricated to distort the reputation of INEC in the state and to soil the name of the officer in question,” Agbaje said.
“INEC has neither political affiliation nor inclination with any party in the state. Collection of PVC is based on first come, first served,” he said.
He ruled out the posibility of rigging the election, adding that the technology acquired by the commission is capable of 3aling with election manipulation.
According to him, : “The exercise being embarked upon in the commission at the moment is the scanning of PVCs to harvest phone numbers of eligible registrants yet to collect their cards with a view to contacting them via bulk sms.
“The commission strongly believes in equity, transparency, integrity and fairness in the conduct of her business.
“We shall continue to uphold these fundamental principles in the discharge of our constitutional duties and responsibilities as an un-biased umpire to all stakeholders.”
