By Favour Afunanya
Ahead of November 11th governorship election in Imo State, political parties and other stakeholders in the state have decried the perceived apathy towards the coming poll.
They vowed to resist any attempt to rig the election and tasked the electorate to be vigilant and protecte their votes after casting them on the election day.
They stated this while speaking to newsmen in Owerri, following the report by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, that there were 134,000 uncollected PVC, in the state.
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According to the Action Alliance, AA, State Publicity Secretary, Salvator Amadi, "The PVCs are uncollected because INEC that is supposed to be an impartial umpire has consistently demonstrated that it is an appendage of the ruling APC.
"What is needed to encourage the voters to collect their PVCs is massive sensitisation via the Media. What INEC is doing wrongly regarding PVC collection is the extortion of money from the people before releasing the cards on the excuse that they pay for fuel for generators in the absence of electricity.
"Furthermore, INEC must stop taking Nigerians for fools in the sense that you cannot continue to give the impression that their votes do not count and still expect them to waste their time and resources to collect PVCs.
Nigerians are wiser now."
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In his remark, the state Director of New Media, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Lancelot Obiaku, said: "The low number is not unconnected with the performance of the electoral umpire and the security agencies in the last general election. It is a protest against injustice and electoral malpractice backed by institutions that ordinarily should promote justice and fairness.
"The people are angry over a situation where the PDP was getting landside victories in various constituencies of the State, only for INEC and security agencies to collude with the APC to rig the elections.
"However, as a party we are not worried as even if an average of ten persons come out to vote at all the polling units, seven will vote for PDP. We are only demanding that the security agencies and INEC be fair.
"We will win the governorship election. Imo people will not condone any form of injustice again."
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Also speaking, the 2023 Deputy Director of Media and Publicity, of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, Micheal Anyanwu, said: "Certain factors could account for low PVC collection across the 27 local government areas of Imo State. While some registered voters are complicit because they refuse to go for their PVCs, lack of trust in the electoral process has brought about political apathy thereby discouraging many from going to pick up their PVCs. INEC stepping up their game by ensuring that credible and transparent elections are conducted all over can help to address this challenge.
"The collection of PVC is free but some corrupt officials of the Commission in some areas have been reported to seize the opportunity to extort those who come to collect their PVCs. If you are not yielding to the extortion, they deliberately frustrate you from getting your PVC.
"Many who can't pay or stand the frustration end up abandoning their PVCs. The Commission need to have a dedicated feedback channels through which such incidents can be reported. And once such reports come, they should be taken seriously and punish any of their officials that is found culpable."
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Adding their voice, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, National Vice Chairman South East, Chilos Godsent, said: "Recently the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that 134,000 PVCs is still dumped in the Commission waiting for collection by the owners.
"From the findings of the African Democratic Congress ADC South East Zone, the electorates has not been able to show up to collect their PVCs because of lack of confidence that INEC will conduct credible and transparent Election in the forthcoming Governorship Election scheduled for 11th November 2023.
"The ADC therefore charged INEC to immediately engagement the electorates in a holistic Multi Stakeholders Town Hall meeting in the Twenty seven Local Government Areas in the State in other to concientize the electorates on the Need for their active participation in elections.
"Finally, the African Democratic Congress ADC hereby call on imolites to go and collect their PVCs in other to deepen the Ballot Revolution that is ongoing in Nigeria," he said.
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Recall that the state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Prof. Sylvia Agu, in a recent event said: ‘’Imolites have been urged to come for their PVCs at the respective INEC LGA offices, apart from the 27 LGA offices, INEC has also created some centres for PVCs collection for those Registration Areas with more than 1000 uncollected PVCs."
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