Avoid Collusion With APC On PVC Release, Osun Accord, PDP Charge INEC
The Osun State chapters of the Accord Party and Peoples Democratic Party have raised alarm over the handling of Permanent Voter Cards for the Osun elections, charging the Independent National Electoral Commission to avoid collusion with the All Progressives Congress in the distribution of voters’ cards.
In a joint statement issued in Osogbo on Sunday and signed by Pastor Victor Akande, Accord Party chairman and Mr Sunday Bisi, Osun PDP Chairman, the parties warned against alleged plans to illegally release PVCs in bulk to the APC for non-indigenes mobilised for registration during the voters registration exercise.
“We have it on good authority that the Osun APC is pressuring the electoral commission to release some PVCs for their imported illegal voters,” the statement said.
“We task the commission not to succumb to such illegal conduct as distribution of PVCs has a template which should be observed to the letter.”
The party chairmen described the alleged move as a sinister plot to rig through the back door.
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“Those who registered as voters should show up to claim their voter card. Under no circumstances should the commission hand over thousands of PVCs to the APC as allegedly being planned. If this is really on the table, the commission should stop it. It is illegal and against the letter of the Electoral Act,” they declared.
The parties also urged INEC and other stakeholders to ensure the transparent handling of unclaimed PVCs.
They said they plan to engage the commission on the exact numbers of unclaimed PVCs and have their own data for comparative discussion.
“We notice in detail how unclaimed PVCs were exploited at the Ekiti polls. This will not be allowed in Osun elections. We therefore task the electoral body to transparently provide data on the Osun PVCs when the collection process commences,” the statement added.
“Any attempt to provide Osun APC with illegal access to the unclaimed PVCs will be resisted. We will not allow the integrity of the electoral process to be compromised,” the party bosses said.
Efforts to get INEC and APC reactions were not successful as of the time of filing this report.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
