Complaints Hit INEC CVR

By Solomon Adeniyi

Several complaints have trailed the Continuous Voters’ Registration in the state of Osun since the resumption of the exercise this January, as potential voters across different registration areas grumble over the attitudes of the commission’s officials.

Some prospective voters have complained that officials often abandon their duty post when they visit the centres to register, close before the official working hours and sometimes give excuses of non-availability of power supply to run their equipment.

Among the areas where complaints are most prevalent include; Olorunda, Osogbo, Egbedore, Ife Central, Ilesa West and Ifelodun local government council areas of the state.

When OSUN DEFENDER visited the Olorunda and Osogbo INEC offices in the state capital, it was observed that no one was at the office seeking to be registered and the medium was told that the exercise has been put on hold and will resume next month.

However, the Administrative Secretary of the Commission in the state, Barrister Ademusere said, “There are no long queues anymore. When we started, people turned out massively and it affected the smooth operation, but later when we noticed this and created additional centres, thereafter, the teeming numbers reduced.

“The issue on working during public holidays is that there are rules before the commencement of this exercise, which clearly state that public holidays, as well as, weekends are not included as days we are to work. The rules can’t be changed. Anyone who wants to register should find time as every voter would be registered before the election”, he assured.

He hinted that the commission is well prepared for the forthcoming election in the state as they have begun to receive non-sensitive materials, capacity building trainings for their staff members and area registration of where its staff members would be deployed, adding that the commission has further gone to bring new sophisticated equipment which has been tested and certified to be better than what was previously on ground with some upgraded features.

He enjoined citizens raising concerns about the collection of their PVCs to remain calm as the printing will commence after the second phase of the continuous voters registration is concluded.

He said: “What is available now is the Temporary voters Cards. As from the 20th of May to 2nd of June, the permanent Voters card will be printed an every registered person will have access to it. They should stay calm. We are only waiting for the final phase of the Continuous Voters’ Registration assignment which will start  from April 11th to 16th as soon as we conclude that, we will begin the printing of the cards”.

Speaking on the development, the coordinator of Oranmiyan Group, Mr Niyi Aluko on whether he is satisfied with the way INEC has performed about the registration said, “things are improving over the years. We now have an electronic system of voting.”

“They have improved on what we used to have. If you are conversant with what is going on in the media, one should unarguably give them kudos that they have fared well. The hitches experienced is something that will be perfected over the years.

“This is a new thing we are embracing, it is an innovation that is subjected to errors which will be corrected as time goes on, perfection to me is not a day job, as we proceed we will get used to the system and all those human  errors would be corrected.”

He said large turnout is due to the level of awareness embarked upon by different groups in the state including the Oranmiyan group and the fact that the electorates are becoming more politically socialised.