19th November, 2014
Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
As eligible voters continue to battle for registration in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in Ogun State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that political parties can provide generators to support the exercise.
PM News checks revealed that most of the registration units had machines that could not withstand the rigorous registration exercise, thereby causing them to shut down intermittently.
The development, our correspondent gathered had led to the provision of power generating plants at some registrations units in the state by people suspected to be politicians.
It was further revealed that this situation, which was not stipulated nor provided for in the revised electoral law, had recorded alleged manipulations of the exercise in the affected units, as the politicians who gave INEC officials generators were repaid by ensuring that voters loyal to them were registered ahead of others.
But in a swift reaction to the development, the Head of Operations of the INEC in Ogun State, Mr. Samuel Ogunjemilua defended the action, declaring that those people are also stakeholders.
According to him, “There is nothing wrong in doing that. They are also stakeholders and as you know, we all have to come together to ensure the success of the exercise,” he said.
Ogunjemilua did not however disclose any section of the electoral law where such generosity should be accepted by the electoral body.
He blamed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) ad hoc workers for not following the training given to them, noting that, the ad hoc staff had not lived up to expectation as they did not imbibe the training given to them.
The INEC Director however assured that the Commission would overcome the challenges, stressing that, “as much as possible, we are going to ensure that all eligible voters are registered. They should just be patient with these officials,” he said.
Meanwhile, as the CVR exercise wounds up today, students of Ogun state origin has kicked against both the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) distribution and CVR describing it as a sham.
The students led by the President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Ogun State chapter, Comrade Okikiola Ogunsola, protested to the governor’s office in Abeokuta with various placards.
The students presented the #PVC our #Right placard to the Governor Ibikunle Amosun at the 75th International Students Day celebration held at the Cultural centre, Kuto, Abeokuta on Monday.
Ogunsola said the students decided to cry out over the poor handling of the two exercises, noting that, “despite the extensions given, many people are yet to register particularly students who are in school. The situation is unacceptable, hence our resolve to present the card to the governor.
“We are calling for another extension, so that more people, including our students can get registered and be able to exercise their franchise.”
The governor said his administration would continue to pass the message to the electoral body for necessary action, lamenting also that the development is worrisome.
When our correspondent moved round Abeokuta this morning, residents were seen not happy with the whole situation as the exercise is rounding up today.
At ward 12 in Isale Ijeun, Abeokuta, people in the area were seen lamenting and complaining about the poor handling of the exercise by the INEC.
Speaking to PM News, a cleric, who resides in the area, Alhaji Imam Abdul Razaq Yunus revealed that most of the people in the area have not registered their names, appealing to the authority concerned to assist in looking at their plight.
Several other areas visited today, shared similar experiences and it shows that the exercise has not recorded success in most part of the state.
The Continuous Voters Registration, CVR exercise ends today in the State after the two days extention from Monday till today.