‘Distribution of PVCs During Yuletide, Plan to Disenfranchise Igbo’

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, also known as Intersociety has frowned at the timing for the distribution of permanent voters’ card (PVCs) in Nigeria.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier stated that the distribution of PVCs would last between December 12, 2022 and January 22, 2023, a total of 40 days.

But Intersociety says it is meaningless for INEC to take months to print PVCs, and only allocate a few days for their distribution, especially in the face of festivities that December and January are known for in the South-east.

Chairman Board of Trustees of Intersociety, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, who spoke to THISDAY in Awka yesterday said that with the Monday sit at home, the Christmas and New Year holidays, and considering that people of the South-east always travel during the period, the days allocated for the distribution was not enough.

“We are reiterating our strong opposition and unacceptability to INEC’s shrinking of PVC distribution across the country to only 26 days. It is totally suspicious for INEC to spend eight months to prepare PVCs and turn around to shrink the PVC distribution to only 40 days.

“Immorally added to the 40 days is 14 days of the 2022 Christmas and the 2023 New Year holiday season. Therefore, not only that the shrinking of the distribution days is totally unacceptable, also, INEC must extend the deadline for the distribution of PVCs to a day to the presidential election.”

The group said that with such attitude, INEC could not be totally trusted with the responsibility of conducting a free and fair election in February.

“It is the position of Intersociety that Nigeria’s INEC is gravely gambling with the future of Nigerians and Nigeria, especially its corporate existence.

“The commission is also manifestly incapable of organising a credible presidential poll in Nigeria. Top officials of INEC are grossly partisan and have reduced themselves to political jobbers.”

The group said that it had already written to several democratic institutions, including the US, to call that they beam their searchlights on INEC, ahead of the 2023 election.