INEC raises alarm, says politicians hustling to buy 914,529 unclaimed PVCs

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oyo state, Barrister Mutiu Agboke, has raised alarm over approaches by some politicians in the state to buy unclaimed 914,529 permanent voter cards.

He stated that the commission however stood its ground “to ensure that people’s votes count in the free, fair and credible elections in 2019.”

Agboke, while speaking on the theme, “Online journalism and Media integrity in Nigeria,” did not disclose the identities of the politicians, saying, “I don’t have their names.

He assured the electorates that their votes would count while urging journalists to abide by the ethics of their profession and cooperate with the commission in spreading accurate information to members of the public.

Agboke said, “They are looking for PVCs to buy. They are looking for what is not available because they know that these things are not available. This is the security report at my disposal.

“Tell those who are looking for PVCs to buy that there is none to buy in Oyo State. I can assure you that no INEC employee will sell PVCs to any politician. I can assure you that the process will be free and fair in Oyo State.

“Those who are looking for PVCs to buy, I won’t give you their names.

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“But that is the security report I got and the report did not specify the party and the individuals that are involved. They want us to give them PVCs but we can’t give it to them. They want to buy PVCs but there is none to sell in Oyo State.”

“All of us are stakeholders. If you are in doubt, call INEC. More so, you are online journalists, let us ensure that we have our facts correct. For me in Oyo State, I have nothing to hide. We conducted the election in Eruwa and the people that won, won.”

Representatives of media outfits who spoke assured the commission of support in delivering fair and credible elections in 2019.

Meanwhile, the commission has assured that the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU ) would not interrupt the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

The commission’s Chairman of Information Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye said the commission had scheduled consultative meeting involving its Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, its national commissioners and ASUU leadership on January 4.

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