A staff member of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is seen in a video obtaining payment from registered voters before they can pick up their Permanent Voters’ Card, or PVC.
According to the video, the event happened at the PVC collection facility for the Commission in Emene, Enugu East Local Government Area, Enugu State.
Nyscinfo learns the development follows repeated assertions by the INEC’s highest authorities that their employees do not coerce registered voters into selecting their PVCs.
Victor Aluko, the INEC’s Director for Voter Education and Publicity, referred to charges that its employees were working with certain individuals to block eligible Nigerians from collecting their PVCs as incorrect in one of Channels Television’s Politics Today programs.
“Well, personally, I don’t believe so. I don’t believe that anybody is colluding with anyone to prevent eligible Nigerians from collecting their PVCs. I don’t think so,” he said.
However, he asserted that any of its employees found to be impeding Nigerians from getting their PVCs would face punishment and legal action.
However, in the video, a different elderly woman (a registered voter) questioned the staff member, who appeared to be a woman, about when the commission began collecting money for PVC.
“I didn’t know that one now has to pay to collect the card,
“This is a bad impression to the public, it’s not good,” she said.
The aforementioned official used abusive language when he instructed individuals who weren’t willing to pay to go to the local government to pick up theirs.
“If you don’t want to pay, you go to the local government and collect it,” she said.
As soon as she realized she was being recorded, she yelled, “If you tape me, I will fight it out with you.
“Did you pay me for this job? God punish you.”
See video below:
https://twitter.com/Omolua23/status/1619827779369066496?s=20&t=82PHOm-p2jwIaahLnF0LTg
Remember how the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Intersociety, had voiced concerns about alleged extortion at collection centers, particularly in the states of Anambra, Enugu, and Imo.
The organisation claimed that reports of lengthy lines, particularly in the South-East and South-South, were indicative of the PVC collection activity.