Group urges INEC to leverage on innovative technology solutions for PVC distribution

A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Election Monitor, on Wednesday urged the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to leverage on innovative technology solutions for effective distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards(PVCs).

The National Coordinator of the group, Mr Abiodun Ajijola, made the call while briefing newsmen on the Continous Voter Registration exercise in Abuja.

Ajijola said that INEC emabarked on a nationwide CVR exercise which commenced on April 2017 and suspended it on August 2018.

He said that during this period, INEC registered a total of 14,551,482 fresh voters across the nation.

He said that the group had mobilsed more than 10,000 people to register in Anambra,Ekiti and Osun before the gubernatorial elections in those states.

He said that now that the CVR had been suspended ,the big issue was to ensure that all registered persons collected their PVCs and came out to vote.

“Election Monitor is recommending that INEC should leverage on innovative technology solutions and enhanced logistics processes to ensure that all registered voter collects the PVC.

“A massive voter turnout is one of the best antidotes to rigging as it makes election malpractice significantly harder to achieve as well as ensuring a more representative election outcome.”

Ajijola said that Election monitor conducted a survey of voters to obatain feedback on thier opinion on how the CVR exercise was conducted.

He said that some issues were highlighted and sugesstions were also made on how to improve future exercise .

He called on the government to make more stringent regulations guiding the acquisition of declaration of age documentation to curb underage voting .

Ajijola also called for the introduction of online registration and extension of the days of registration.

He said Nigerians also suggested increased number of staff and machines and registration centres,among others.
Ajijola called on all stakeholders to support INEC to achieve credible polls in 2019.

He also urged that the budget for the elections should be released to INEC on or before Friday 16 November 2018.

He called on the executive and the and the legislature to synergise to ensure that the budget was released for election to hold in 2019.