News: Ekiti 2022: Oni’s group warns INEC against PVC’s selective registration

By Oludamisi Ojo.
A group supporting the governorship bid of former Governor Segun Oni’ under the platform of Social Democratic Party(SDP) for the June 18 poll, has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) against compromising the standard in the ongoing registration for Permanent Voter Cards(PVCs) in Ekiti.

The group under the aegis of “Ekiti Bring Back Better”(EBBB), warned the INEC staff against compromising the integrity of the commission, by engaging in what it called “selective registration”.

It said it would be counterproductive for INEC to allegedly be capturing the supporters of a particular candidate at the expense of others.

EBBB said such rumour was rife and it has to be guard against to infuse sanity and save the commission’s image from being tainted.

Addressing reporters in Ado Ekiti, on Friday, the group’s spokesman , Idowu Adelusi, said it finds the rumour flying around that only perceived supporters of a candidate were being registered by INEC in the last minute voters’ capturing so disturbing .

The EBBB spokesman alerted the INEC about alleged clandestine moves being made by some All Progressives Congress members extraction of importing prospective voters from other states for registration.

The group urged the electoral body to be vigilant and look out for cases of double registration.

Adelusi said all eligible voters in Ekiti must be registered in the last minute rush by INEC , regardless of their political beliefs and leanings.

According to him, “voter registration is a strategic and pivotal aspect of electioneering process that guarantees participatory democracy, wiping out apathy and boosting of universal suffrage of citizens within any democratic system that should be prosecuted with utmost honesty and sincerity”.

Adelusi warned that nothing should be done by the commission or those he described as “desperate politicians”, to sabotage the process and abridge the rights of citizens to vote during elections.

He said” EBBB as a political pressure group is not by this statement casting aspersion or impugning on the integrity of the electoral commission. We have implicit confidence in the leadership of Prof Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC to give us the best election on June 18 in Ekiti State, nothing short of this is acceptable.

“We wonder how some politicians should be plotting to take over the primary and statutory function of INEC, by allegedly sieving voters and determine who should be registered and those not to be registered.

“We believe INEC will rise above pedestrianism in the coming election, by allowing the votes of Ekiti people count, because their verdicts is necessary to validate who occupies the governorship seat. This is their statutory duty and no one should strip them of this power.

The group called on INEC chairman and Ekiti Resident Electoral Commissioner , Dr Adeniran Tella, to be watchful and warn their staff against serving as fifth columnists.

It advised INEC to guard against any act of shady manner that could smear their images in the impending poll.