Less than 10 days to the kick off the general elections holding across the states of the federation, Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has cried out over delay he is encountering in collecting his Permanent Voters Card, warning the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, not to disenfranchise him and the rest of his family from exercising their civil rights.
Adams raised this concern in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, saying that he was yet to receive his PVC, several months after registration, describing the delay as suspicious.
“I think it is suspicious, and I feel bad that as I am speaking to you now, I am yet to receive my PVC, including my wife and the rest of my family.
“This is not good for us as Nigerians. It portends grave danger to our democracy and the nation, in particular, remember, the whole world is watching, especially, at a time when elections are a few days away. I am saying this, not because I have any preferred candidate in the coming elections, but because it is my right and that of other Nigerians to vote and be voted for, and I know many Nigerians would have been disenfranchised as a result of INEC’s failure to make the PVCs available to the electorate,” he said.
Adams, however, urged the electoral umpire to improve on the modalities for the collection of PVC, saying anything short of a free, fair, and credible election will be dangerous to Nigeria’s democracy.
“I am saying this for posterity, and I stand to be corrected that up till today, Nigerians still remember Professor Humphrey Nwosu’s name for the June 12 annulled election, which was adjudged to be the fairest and freest election in the history of our great nation.
“In 2015, I challenged Professor Attahiru Jega, over the non-availability of PVCs in the South- West, as well as the indiscriminate distribution of PVCs to Nigerians, particularly, in the North.
“Today, less than ten days to the general elections, I am yet to receive my PVC, including that of my wife and all my households that registered and are qualified and eligible to vote. I did my registration and enrollment in September, resulting from my relocation from my former residence in Abule Ado, Amuwo Odofin Local government, to my present home in Omole Phase 11, Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area of the state, and up till now, I have not received my voters’ card, others that had the same issues with me have received theirs. This is uncalled for and I think it is a calculated plot to disenfranchise me,” he lamented.
