The Presidential Campaign Council of the Labour Party (LP) has expressed worry over the low distribution of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) across the country.
It then urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the collection point of PVCs to polling units for easy access.
Spokesman of the campaign team, Dr. Yunusa Tanko made this known in Enugu, yesterday, at a press briefing, ahead of the party’s presidential rally holding in the state, today.
Tanko also urged INEC to use all the powers at its disposal to ensure Nigerians get their PVCs before the elections.
“I am disappointed with the level of issuance of voter’s card across the country. The turnout is much but the process of collecting it is quite difficult. The number of uncollected cards remains the same because the process is very difficult.
“The queue is very much in every collection centre but few people were able to collect it at the end of the day. They are frustrating the people.
“INEC should use any legal power to shift the closing date for collection or any other means to make sure they didn’t disfranchise people from voting,” he said.
Tanko further expressed dissatisfaction over the upcoming new BBnaija reality show stressing that it was sponsored by politicians to distract the youths from participating in the election.
At another press briefing in Abuja, yesterday, Dr. Yunusa Tanko said: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has less than two weeks to deliver PVCs to Nigerians and the reports we are receiving nationwide about the ineptitude of their staff is disheartening and frustrating most PVC collectors.
“We have received reports from all the geo-political zones in Nigeria and the messages are all the same, people complaining of the snail pace at which the PVCs are being dispatched to collectors.
“Going by the elections timetable which is in accordance with Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on February 25.
“The governorship and state assemblies election will hold on March 22 and many Nigerians who registered for PVCs are still finding it difficult to collect their voters card beats one’s imagination hollow. If you take a close look at the INEC timetable, you have less than 12 days left for collection of PVCs. People go and queue for hours out of about 500 PVC collectors only 20 or less than 50 people will be given their cards in wards designated for collection.
“What kind of miracle is INEC going to perform that will ensure Nigerians get their PVCs within this short period if there’s no sinister motive underneath?”
The LP PCC Spokesperson also advised security agencies to step up security around INEC sites nationwide in order to stop vandals and arsonists who were eager to scuttle the upcoming elections from carrying out their criminal actions.