Hundreds of electorates in Bauchi may be disenfranchised in the forthcoming general elections following the inability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to print out their Personal Voters Cards (PVCs).
The agitated electorates are therefore venting their anger on the INEC lamenting that after making out time to queue for several days before getting registered last year, all their efforts at getting the PVCs have failed as INEC told them that their cards are yet to be printed.
A visit to the Bauchi LGA INEC office in Ran Road revealed that the people have been visiting the office at the dates given to them but all to no avail as the officials told them that the cards were not available yet.
Mrs Christiana Omogbonjubola is one of the people yet to collect the PVCs, she angrily said, “I have been trying since last year December to collect my PVC but they kept telling me that it is not printed yet.”
She added, “It is very frustrating, I spent many days on the queue before I was able to register in June 2022. Now, since December 2022, I have been coming here but it is the same story. I am tired, I will not bother myself again. God knows that I have tried, I have missed a lot of revenue because of this.”
Also speaking, Halima Musa said, “I live in Yelwa area, even with this hardship, I have been coming but they kept telling me to come back because my card is not yet available. This is the last time I will come here, let them eat the card.”
For Umar Saleh who resides along Gombe road, the story is the same, he wondered why INEC will not print PVCs seven months after registration saying that it is a deliberate attempt to ensure that many Nigerians did not cast their votes during the election.
As for Kennedy Okoh, he has done his best to be a patriotic Nigerian by being registered but the authorities have failed him by not making his PVC available saying, “I wish INEC goodluck for disenfranchising us, you can see our number here, yet to get our PVCs”.
All those who volunteered to speak on the situation wondered what the problem is that made it difficult for INEC to print their PVCs many months after they successfully got registered.
They called on INEC to ensure that before Saturday, 5th February which is the last date for collection of the PVCs, it made it available in order to avert chaos that may follow if people go to the INEC office but cannot collect their PVCs.
No official at the LGA INEC office was ready to talk when asked for reason behind the development, the most Senior among them said that it is only the state office that can talk.
At the Bauchi State office of INEC, no official was on seat to react to the development as they were said to be busy attending one meeting or the other preparing for the presidential and NASS elections.
“Sorry Sir, in a program please. I will call back later,” the PRO, Ishaq Hamza told our reporter when contacted.
