Gunmen hijack 4, 658 PVC’s in Edo, says INEC

From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

Independent National Electoral commission (INEC), has called for assistance to diminish voter fraud and enhance smooth transition in the state ahead 2015 general elections.

This followed the snatching of 4, 658 PVC’s by hoodlums between last Friday and Sunday PVC distribution across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state, according to the Resident Electoral commissioner in Edo state, Mr. Baritor Kpagih.

The commissioner at a press briefing on Tuesday at the commission’s headquarters in Benin, listed Etsako West, Ovia North East and Orhionmwon as among the nine Local Government Areas where the hoodlums unleash terror during the exercise.

He maintained that Orhionmwon Local Government Arewa account for 3,661 PVC’s were snatched by the hoodlums, explaining that 883,058 PVC’s were distributed throughout the exercise, representing 57.7 percentage out of a total of 1,531580 PVC’s allocated to Edo state.

Kpagih however said the development has duly been reported with the police whose support was acceptable.

He insisted that the remaining PVC’s will now be collected at the 18 Local Government offices of INEC.

He also clarifying that the challenges experienced so far will not deter the commission from going ahead with the continuous voters’ Registration (CVR), exercise which is expected to last for six days beginning from today (Wednesday).

The REC hinted that the PVC’s meant for Kogi, Jigawa and neighbouring Delta states, which were erroneously sent to Edo state as some of the reasons for the delay in announcing the total number of PVC’s due for Edo state voters earlier.

“We are a bit disappointed, despite our appeal to people to be orderly during the exercise. We are not too pleased with the way thing are going, but we hope it will be investigated…if there are challenges, we will deal with them.

“But I’m afraid we cannot do much except the people cooperate. It could have been better, but police tried for us’’, he said.