26th February, 2015
Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
Photo: Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
The Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba (Dr.) Michael Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Okukenu IV has cried out to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to as a matter of urgency address the challenges facing the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs.
The monarch also declared that over 300,000 indigenes of Egbaland residing in the state are yet to collect their cards, appealing to INEC to look into the matter.
Alake disclosed this Thursday morning while playing host to the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Chief Timothy Ibitoye and top officials of the Commission who paid him a courtesy call.
The monarch while speaking said: “in Egbaland, we have over 300,000 people who are yet to collect to their PVCs. I want to passionately appeal to INEC to double up their action by contacting the media houses especially the OGBC and OGTV to announce to the people where and how to get the cards.
“For record, I and Olori did our registration at the same place and as I speak, I have collected my PVCs and my Olori is yet to get her card. I want you people to expedite action to ensure that people are not disenfranchised,” the monarch pleaded.
Alake also appealed to the Commission to consider the Egba kingdom in the area of delineation, noting that, the area has been marginalised.
The monarch declared that the Egba region is about 45 per cent of the entire population of Ogun state, thus requiring more representation than what is obtainable now.
“Egbaland has about 45% of the entire population of Ogun State. And as big as we are, we don’t have enough representation in every quarters which also affects us at the national assembly.
“We want the Commission to do something to correct this anomaly as we need more areas to be carved out from the present one so that our people will be more represented,” Alake posited.
He however promised to support the Commission, adding that, if not for the challenges of the PVCs, they would have had smooth operations.
“We have been supporting every programme of INEC because by helping them we are helping ourselves. The task is enormous but for the challenge of the PVCs,” he said.
Earlier in his address, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Chief Timothy Ibitoye stated the reason for the visit which according to him was hinge on two things.
“We are here this morning because of two things. One to pay courtesy visit to the palace and secondly to seek your blessing that whatever we will be doing in the state during the forthcoming elections shall be successful.
“Your Highness, please assist INEC in the forthcoming elections, unfortunately, Ogun State is having challenges in the area of PVCs. It is not our making here, we are expecting the remaining balance of our PVCs from the headquarters in Abuja.
“I want to assure Kabiyesi that every eligible voter in Ogun state will get their PVCs before the election. Before we came here, we have been informed that you have been soliciting for INEC, we are seriously worried over the PVCs. All the sensitive materials for the elections have arrived and we have distributed them to all the local government areas. We are only having problem with the PVCs and I am assuring you that in the next one week, everything will arrive,” Ibitoye assured.
The REC also disclosed that four top officials of the Commission in the state had been sent to the National headquarters in Abuja in respect of the remaining PVCs.
Ibitoye said three of the officials were back leaving the ICT Head alone to ensure that all the remaining PVC’s for the state are delivered.
He solicited for more cooperation and understanding from the people of Ogun state, while assuring them of his determination to conduct a free, fair and credible elections in the State.