Man Cries After Being Told His PVC’s ‘Unavailable’ At Enugu Collection Centre

One Fidelis Ezeugwu, from Enugu North local government area of Enugu State, Wednesday, cried out after officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission at Okpara Avenue collection centre, Enugu, told him that his permanent voter’s card was not available despite his data genuinely displayed in the commission’s database.

Ezeugwu’s slip, seen by THE WHISTLER, shows that he actually registered. It read, “Voter information found.” The details show that his registration area is Independence Layout, Enugu, while his polling unit is Okpara Square VI.

Ezeugwu said he obtained his PVC over ten years ago, and has been using it to vote since 2011.

Quoting him, “I lost the PVC which I have been using to vote ever since 2011. I then went to the INEC registration centre and informed them. I asked them if I should do another one. They checked their database and found my name. They told me that there was no need for me to do another one. They said it would be reprinted.

“So I went back on 28 of last month to collect the reprinted one. They couldn’t find it. The woman told me that there was nothing she could do. They told me to return on 15th of January, 2023. I didn’t go, just to give them enough time. My unit is at Okpara Square. I went there on 16th of Jan. The man I met said he couldn’t trace it. I became angry. He said there was nothing he could do. I told him I was duly registered.

“He referred me to an official there. I met the lady. She checked my name, and said she couldn’t find it on their database. I told her to check very well. At last, she saw my name. She said she had laid the complaint, and told me who to meet. The person told me to return the next day.

“I went there on 17th. The same man told me that no new voters’ cards had been delivered to them. This is what many people are passing through, and they will claim it is double registration. It is rather INEC that did not print it. Many registered voters do not have PVCs, while their data is with INEC.

“If I check my name online, it states that I am duly registered. It states my polling unit. I never relocated or transferred my PVC. I am in Okpara Square IV. But they said I don’t have a voter’s card. We are many, and INEC will claim it is double registration. Will they give us the cards after elections? For what reason then?”

Mr Pius Eze, INEC’s public relations officer, Enugu, could not be reached as his phone number was switched off.

However, an official of the commission, who is not authorised to speak on behalf of the commission, stated on condition of anonymity, that, “It is wrong to say that there is nothing INEC could do. INEC has provisions to resolve all genuine complaints.

“First, the complainant must have filled the form for the voter card update by the time he laid the complaint. He should have been issued a temporary one.

“If he did the exercise in June/July last year, those cards are still to be delivered for distribution. But they will be delivered very soon.

“Thirdly, he should go to the Continuing Voter Registration centre at Enugu North LG Secretariat. He will see the officer in-charge. The officer will get his information, and then lay a formal complaint to the headquarters. He should not panic. Whoever told him that there was nothing we could do should be blamed.”