Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) yesterday accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of foul play after it postponed distribution of Permanent Voters’ Card.
The governor in a state-wide broadcast, said INEC was being economical with the truth on why it decided to postpone distribution of the PVC in nine local government areas.
He said: “Barely 48 hours after I addressed you about our preparations and preparedness to enable you participate in the process of issuance of your Permanent Voters’ Card as planned and announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I am constrained to address you again this morning.
“This is because by omission or commission, INEC has decided to make this a painful experience for us in Lagos by announcing that it will only issue Permanent Voters’ Card in the following 11 (Eleven) Local Governments.”
He listed the local governments where INEC decided to distribute PVCs to include, Agege, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Ifako-Ijaiye, Ikeja, Mushin, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Ibeju-Lekki, Ikorodu, Kosofe and Ojo.
According him, INEC had postponed the exercise in nine local government areas, which include Alimosho, Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa Badagry, Oshodi-Isolo, Epe, Shomolu, Surulere and Eti-Osa.
The commission said that it will conduct the exercise on the 28th, 29th and 30th of November, 2014.
Fashola lamented further that: “I can only imagine the level of disappointment that you must all feel, having waited anxiously for this exercise and in spite of the fact that we had declared a work-free day.
“I am deeply disappointed at this display of lack of planning that speaks volumes of the contempt and disregard of this national agency for the rights of citizens.
“I wish to recall that it was INEC that first announced that this exercise was planned for August, and later shifted to September, and later to today and yet they did not get it right.
“If this is a foretaste of what we should expect in the general elections, for me, it is a bad start. It tastes awful.”
The governor wondered why INEC had not answered the question he posed about the delisting of over 1.4 million voters from the register it compiled in 2011 in spite of assurances it gave Nigerians, and billions of naira it expended for the purpose.
Residents at the affected areas went home disappointed as officials of INEC did not show up at many of the registration centres.
Former Chairman, Ikeja Local Government, Wale Odunlami, who was at Tinubu’s polling unit expressed disappointment that INEC’s officials had not shown up at 1 pm to distribute the PVCs to several people waiting to collect them.
He lamented that the exercise had been a fraud so far, but noted that there was need for Lagosians to be patient to collect their PVCs.
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