It was a harvest of huge voters in Enugu today as the deadline for the collection of Permanent Voter’s Cards PVC across the country ended today.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that despite all the publicity and enlightenment to the registered voters on the need to collect their PVCs, hundreds of thousands of people were yet to do the needful.
Some of the local government visited showed that while some were able to collect their PVCs, many couldn’t see their own.
At Obollo-Afor, headquarters of Udenu local government and local government area of the incumbent governor of the state, many registered voters who were yet to collect their PVCs were seen queuing patiently to collect their cards.
Those whose cards were no where to be found were equally seen, expressing their disaffection with the INEC on the nonavailability of their cards.
However, one of the affected registered voters, Eze Romanus who spoke to our reporter explained that he was not happy with the development.
According to Mr. Eze, ” I came here three weeks ago but was told that my card was not here. They told me to come the week after which I did only to be told that my own was not here. They told me to go to keep on coming to government headquarters which I did but all to no avail.”
Narrating further, Eze stated that ” I became angry and decided to be coming here two times a week but I couldn’t still succeed. Finally, today which is the last day of collection, I couldn’t collect my card. What this actually means is that I am not going to vote in the 2023 general elections. It pains me but there is more I can do about it.”
Asked when he registered for the Permanent Voter’s Card, PVC, Eze said that ” I registered in August 2022 after much struggle in the rain. I never expected this situation today.”
On whether he suspected foul play on the nonavailability of his PVC, he stressed that ” I don’t suspect any foul play at all. It is possible that my might have been mixed with others from another wards. Whatever be the case, as I stand here, I am not happy that I will not be able to elect my leaders in the next three weeks or thereabouts.”
However, at Ibagwa-Aka, Igbo-Eze South local government area, the story was still the same. Many registered voters equally complained that they couldn’t see their PVCs.
One of the affected registered who spoke under anonymity told our reporter that she was fed with the system.
“I registered in July 2022 hoping to collect my PVC but as you can see, I didn’t collect it. They kept on telling me to come today, come tomorrow till this moment.
“I feel bad that I couldn’t collect my PVC and will not vote in the 2023 general elections. I have come to this Ibagwa-Aka, the headquarters of our local government to check for the card several times but I couldn’t collect it. So, here I am, without PVC and with no power to elect my next leaders.”
At Nsukka local government, hundreds of voters who came out to collect their cards were equally disappointed as INEC told them their cards were not there.
One of them who spoke to our reporter, Abel Nwigwe stated that he has gone to the INEC countless times without success.
” Initially when I came here, they refered me back to my ward, Umuoyo ward in Nru. I went there when they sharing the cards but mine was not there. They refered me to the local government headquarters again. Since today was the last day of collection, I decided to come and try my luck my as you can see, I couldn’t succeed.”
However, all efforts to get the reaction of the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner , Enugu state, Prof. E.O Onukaogu proved abortive as his phone number was continually busy.
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