By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
RESIDENTS of Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State have accused officials of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) of nepotism in the collection process of the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC).
Waiting in the sun for PVC Collection
Stonix News reports that INEC had, last week, announced the commencement of PVC collection to begin December 12 to January 22, 2023 ahead of the 2023 elections.
But checks at the INEC office located at Esisi road, Warri, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, showed an unorganised crowd of registered voters waiting to collect their PVCs.
Scramble for PVC Collection
Stonix News gathered from the distraught crowd that the officials were bypassing voters who have been in the queue for long to favour people they know.
It was also gathered that the nepotistic disposition was a ploy to create fatigue and some semblance of frustration under the scorching sun in order to extort money from those in a hurry.
Lamenting in anger, one Solomon Adodo said accused the officials of INEC of “looking faces” before giving the PVCs out.
Scramble for PVC in Warri
“We were asked to come for our PVC and we are here, registered voters are here, but you see the people that are giving out the cards, they are looking at faces to give out the cards.
“We told them to be calling names so that when you hear your name, you will be given your card, but no, we have been standing in this queue as early as 8:00a.m and names have not be called.
“I’m surprised that these people are the ones distributing cards. In advanced countries, NIPOST are the ones that supposed to give out this cards so that all the registered cards will be given.
“Look at the nonsense they are doing here in the name of card collection. That is why when you come to INEC office after now, you will see thousands of uncollected cards belonging to voters.
“If they are asked, they will say that voters refused to come for their cards, meanwhile, attitudes like this is what is frustrating voters.
“With the way they are giving out this cards, there is no accountability. I don’t know if they are happy with the way things are in the country,” he lamented.
Stonix News also observed that some old women were, out of fatigue, leaving the INEC secretariat with annoyance, vowing they weren’t going to vote since they were not given their PVCs.
One Joy Onome said in pidgin:
“Na people wey they know they dey give ooo. We have been standing under the sun since morning.
Another respondent, Mr. Pius, said: “It’s not like this in the North. I’m sure they usually take them to their houses, but it must be different in Delta State!
“The people here are not even up to 100, but they are doing favouritism with it.
“There are people that have been here since morning, they’ve not even heard their names.
“Do I still need connection to exercise my right in this country?” he asked regretfully.
Attempts by our reporter to access the INEC office were rebuffed by security agents at the gate.
Stonix News, however, recalled that the Igba of Warri Kingdom, Chief (Mrs) Rita Lori-Ogbebor, had, in June this year during voters registration, stormed the Esisi INEC office all the way from Abuja after learning that done hanky panky game and Shaddy deals were being played by the officials.
The ace broadcaster had arrived the office and waited there till evening to monitor the registration exercise during which the officials, led by
Mr Kingsley Ogboe, the Electoral Officer (EO) in the Warri South INEC office.
Ogboe had disclosed then that there were more than 20,000 voter cards in his office that had not been collected by their owners.
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