As the verification and collection of Permanent Voters Cards by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ended yesterday March 9, 2014 majority of electorates in the state of Osun have begun to express their discontentment over the three days exercise, saying that the time slated for the exercise was not enough.
Some of the people who spoke with Bioreports on Monday March 10, 2014 said they were not really satisfied with the way the exercise was carried out, saying that it’s full of irregularities.
The reports gathered by Bioreports since the commencement of the exercise on Friday March 7 indicated that the exercise recorded a massive turnout of electorates in Osogbo, Ikirun, Ile-Ife and Iwo axis of the state.
Though, there were cases of missed voters’ names as some electorates could not find their names on the voters register, but the people trooped out to collect the PVC, right from the first day, Friday to the last, Sunday.
Out of the places visited by our reporter, only Osogbo, Iwo, Ilesa, Ile-Ife and Ila maintained the pace of the massive turn out for the three days exercise, while other towns and villages recorded low turnout of electorate on the second day of the programme.
The communities that recorded the low turnout on the second day included Aagba, Iragbiji, Inisa, Okuku, Eripa, Ada, Iree, Ilobu amongst others.
In the aforementioned places, the percentage of the PVC that were yet to be collected was more than the collected ones, thereby sending signal to INEC for the extension of the exercise.
Bioreports had earlier reported cases of missing names at Unit 2 in Ward 10 of Osogbo Local Government on Friday, when some of the electorates were seeing grumbling on the missing of their names on the voters list, and questioning why their names were missing on the lists.
Some of the electorates whose names were missing on the voters registration lists for the collection of the PVC at the polling unit as earlier reported were: Alhaji Aresa Jimoh with VIN number 90F5B03881295108839 and Mr A. Akeem with VIN number 90F5B03881295432832.
At Unit 7, Ward 4 in Ilobu in Irepodun Local Government, all the electorates that registered at the polling unit could not find their names on the register, a development that generated hues and cries at the unit.
And when Bioreports visited Units 8 and 14, Ward 5 in Osogbo Local Government on Sunday the same problem was recorded.
The same complaint was also recorded at unit 004, Police Post, Ward 07 in Eripa, Boluwaduro Local Government where some of the electorates seeing lamenting the missing of their names on the list, even as they were holding the temporary voters card issued in 2011.
Some of the electorates whose names were missing on the list at the polling unit were: Adedeji Dupe Olufunmilayo, Ogunleye Boladale, Olaegbe Mopelola, Ogundele Kehinde, Ayorinde Lydia and Ogundele Rolayo Sifawu.
Besides, there was hot argument on Friday between members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), National Conscience Party (NCP) United Democratic Party (UDP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in some polling units in Eripa on the eligibility of the NCP and UDP agents to monitor the exercise.
The PDP members said the NCP and UDP were not eligible to monitor the PVC collection exercise, arguing that the two parties had formed alliance with the APC, a statement faulted by the APC, the NCP and the UDP members.
The matter was latter laid to rest when the police intervened and persuaded the parties to allow peace to reign, just as the NCP and UDP agents were not allowed to observe the exercise for that day, according to a source.
But NCP and UDP agents were allowed to monitor on Saturday following the intervention of the Deputy National Chairman of the NCP, Comrade Waheed Lawal who visited the community and other places where such incident happened.
Reacting on the issue, Ambassador Rufus Akeju the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the State said the affected people that did not find their name on the list were those who registered twice in year 2011.
Akeju said that anybody that registered more than once would definitely be affected, adding that they still have the opportunity of re-registering their name during the forthcoming voters’ registration on Wednesday 12th March, 2014 at various poling units.
He said “If you register more than once your name will be affected, but you still have the opportunity of substitute registration, this opportunity is open for those who are below the age of 18 during 2011 voters card registration”.
Akeju who said a lot of sensitization and public enlightenment have been made on radio and television said by the time they finish the exercise Nigerians would have a register to be proud of.
He therefore, urged any electorate who has not yet collected his or her own Permanent Voters Card due to one reason or the other to visit INEC office for the collection.
BIOREPORTS
