Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has begged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to postpone the deadline for the collection of the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, to enable all those who registered to obtain their cards to vote during the upcoming general election.
He also urged the Commission not to postpone the elections on the grounds of insecurity.
READ MORE: PVC: Labour Party Raises Alarm Over Slow Distribution
The Governor stated that the skepticism about the election which arose following a statement which purportedly emanated from INEC over fears of insecurity should be discountenanced.
The Governor who spoke on Wednesday when he visited the new Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, for Benue state, Prof. Sam Egwu at the INEC headquarters in Makurdi, said
“our prayer is that whatever happens, let us go ahead and conduct the elections because Nigerians and Benue State people are eagerly waiting for it. Let us not create a situation where enemies of this country will take advantage, the elections must be conducted.
“In my own little way of suggesting and helping INEC and of course the Federal Government, if there are specific areas where insecurity is intense and there are problems, they should work towards shifting the elections not postponing the elections and when the other places are completed, they can go back and complete it and announce results.
“I understand the leg of collecting Permanent Voters Card, PVCs at the ward level is terminating on Sunday and then the other ones at the Local Government. I want to appeal if it is possible, because this one is not about politics, it is not about partisanship, it is not about political parties, it is about everybody, but looking at what the result is for today, I want to appeal if that can be extended for one week.
“If it is possible, the Benue State Government will appreciate it so that everybody will have the right to collect his or her PVC. If it can be extended, that will be fine, but if not, we can still manage with the directive of INEC,” Ortom stated.
