INEC releases 7-step Voting Procedure
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released a detailed step-by-step procedure to guide voters on the day of election(s), from the time of arrival at the polling unit, to the process of voting, up until departure from the polling unit. These procedures are available on INEC’s website.
PVC Collection to be moved to Registration Area/Ward Level
In its efforts to expedite the collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) before the commencement of the General elections, INEC officials will be present at the Registration Areas to distribute PVCs from the 16th to the 21st of January, 2019. This exercise will last from 9am to 3pm each day, including the weekend. Thereafter, collection of PVCs will revert to the INEC LGA offices until the 8th of February, 2019, which will be the last day for collection. Collection by proxy is not allowed and all uncollected PVCs will be stored in a secure place, until the elections are over. Interestingly, there are over 1 million uncollected PVCs in Lagos State, which happens to have the highest number of registered voters (6,570,291) in Nigeria. It is hoped that moving collection process to the Ward level, will enable registered voters who are yet to collect their PVCs, do so. Nigerians are enjoined to locate their PVC Pick-up centres in their States where they are registered, using the link provided on the INEC website.
INEC Rivers to abide by Court Orders
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Rivers State, Mr. Obo Effanga, has expressed INEC’s intention to abide by Court orders directed at it. This followed an order of a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, restraining INEC from listing members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, as candidates for the General elections, until the ruling is set aside by a higher Court of competent jurisdiction. The order came from a suit brought before the Court by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In the time being, INEC is to remove the APC candidates from ballot papers and other electoral materials in compliance with the order from the Court.
2,045 stolen PVCs reproduced by INEC in Akwa Ibom State
In November, 2018, hoodlums carted away over 2,000 Permanent Voter’s Cards from the INEC Local Government Area (LGA) office in Okobo LGA of Akwa Ibom State. INEC has however taken steps to reprint the lost cards. According to the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Mike Igini, a new batch of cards have been produced which will be distributed to their rightful owners, before the commencement of the General Elections on the 16th of February, 2019.
INEC conducts a One-Day Interactive Session with Critical Stakeholders
The Independent National Election Commission (INEC) has commenced a series of one-day interactive sessions with critical stakeholders including religious leaders, traditional rulers, transport unions etc, across the country as part of its preparedness for the General Elections. The sessions were essentially held to highlight the critical roles these major stakeholders will play in ensuring a peaceful and credible electoral process. The dialogue also served as a tool to discuss matters ranging from violation of electoral laws, promotion of peace and the use their good offices to counsel against political violence. Appeals were also made the royal fathers, religious leaders and transport union leaders to continue to counsel their subjects/members to collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) at in wards.
The interactive sessions with the National Union of Road Transport Workers and National Association of Road Transport Operators (NARTO) was centred on the critical logistics of transporting sensitive and non-sensitive material across the country, to ensure a timely and hitch-free voting process.