PVC Registration: Police Nab Three INEC Officials For  Creating Illegal Registration Unit In Church

By Akinwale Kasali

The Lagos State Police Public Relation Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin has confirmed the arrest of three Officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who allegedly conspired with the Parish Priest of St. Bridget Catholic Church, Ijeshatedo, Lagos, to create an illegal Permanent Voters  Card Registration Unit in the Church auditorium for members.

The said INEC Officers who carried out the illegal act include; Ikechukwu Izuchukwu, Rita and Agbokhna Ebigun.

They were apprehended by the Police following a complaint by the Chairman, Residents Association, Raji Azeem, about a ploy by the Church to disenfranchise some members of the public.

It was gathered that Azeem had complained to the Police that residents had waited to no avail at the INEC recognised registration centre only to discover that INEC officers have been camped at the Catholic Church hall attending to members of the Church.

He said, “The INEC registration officers, according to INEC provision, should be stationed at 9A, Imam Thanni, but this was not to be. We have been here awaiting their arrival but when we discovered that they were not forthcoming, we were worried.

“Only for us to discover that they have been camped at the St Bridget Catholic Church auditorium on the influence of the Parish Priest registering only members of the Church while we were in the queue waiting. It was a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise us.

“House 9A Imam Thanni Registration Centre has remained a constant polling unit since 1983. But the Priest decided to play the religious cards by inducing the Electoral Officers to register only his Church members.

“The Church members have been around since 5.00 am but we were unaware of their plan until we busted them in action and handed them over to the police at the Ijeshatedo Police.

“The arrested INEC officers have been crying and begging for their misdeeds, but they were granted bail by the IPO, Inspector Shola, so that they can continue with the registration.

“He instructed them to return after the exercise and that they should discontinue the exercise at the Church hall and move to the venue approved by INEC.”

The rumoured invasion of thugs at the venue and carting away PVC Machines and other INEC Materials was debunked and confirmed to be false by residents.

The  arrest of the INEC Officers, has, however, not been confirmed by the Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Olusegun Agbaje. But in a statement, he said that the viral video on the carting away of materials was false and targeted at causing chaos, fear and halting the Registration exercise that is scheduled to end on Sunday,  July  31st, 2022.

Agbaje added that INEC  does not use any religious or worship centers for the Registration Exercise. It, therefore, urged the Public to disregard the video and go about their registration process peacefully.