Kunle Adelabu
-Only 640, 774 registered voters in Lagos – INEC
With the low turnout in the number of registration for the Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) in Lagos State, the Majority Leader, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, has appealed to residents of the State that are yet to register to do so in good time.
The fourth term state lawmaker also charged those that had registered but yet to collect their PVCs to also ensure that they go to the INEC office to for collection.
Hon. Agunbiade, who is also the Chairman, Nigerian Majority Leaders Forum, gave the charges on Thursday (yesterday) at the 8th Annual Constituency Stakeholders’ Meeting organized by the State Assembly.
The event was held at the 700 Seater Auditorium, Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH).
The meeting, which was conducted simultaneously by the 40 lawmakers across the State, was themed, ‘2023 General Elections: The Imperatives of Permanent Voters’ Cards’.
At the meeting were representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ikorodu, royal fathers and other stakeholders.
In his keynote address to the stakeholders in Ikorodu Constituency, Hon. Agunbiade commended residents for their responsiveness to matters affecting their communities and the State at large, however, the Majority Leader lamented the failure of registered voters to collect their PVCs.
“It is, however, quite worrisome that over 20 million Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) still remain uncollected across the nation according to a recent INEC report and out of this huge figure, one million are from Lagos State”, Hon. Agunbiade lamented.
“This situation does not augur well for our progress, our democracy and the development of the State as it may create an opportunity for incompetent persons to be elected as our leaders and representatives and thus overturn our achievements.
“As you know, Lagos State has been so blessed with great and visionary leaders and representatives right from the Second Republic in 1979 when Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande came on board as the first civilian governor, supported by a vibrant House of Assembly, and most significantly from 1999 in the Fourth Republic with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu not just emerging as the governor of Lagos State but revered as the architect of modern day Lagos.
“All these were made possible due to citizens actively voting at elections to choose the right candidates.
“Consequently, the Lagos State House of Assembly, under the able leadership of Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, wish to reiterate the need for everyone to obtain his or her PVC in order to vote in the coming general elections.
“Your PVC is your power not just to continue building the State, but the nation as well; it is your power for continuity, it is your power for the stability and sustainability of our enduring and cherished democracy, it is your power to secure a bright and promising future for our children, our State and the nation,” Agunbiade said.
“While I seize this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support for the government at all levels, the House of Assembly in particular and our great party, the APC, call on everyone once again; our family members, our friends, colleagues and neighbours, our royal fathers , and community leaders, religious leaders and institutions, market men and women, students and the teeming youths, trade unions and organisations, gentlemen of the press and everyone, to ensure the success of the coming elections by obtaining the PVC”, he pleaded.
Mrs Olutoyin, the representative of the INEC Resident Officer in Ikorodu, addressing the stakeholders, said that the total registered voters in Lagos are not up to 640, 774, while also pleading with residents to come to their office to pick their PVCs which has been with them since 2018.
She also announced that the online pre – registration has closed while encouraging those yet to register to present themselves physically in their office for the process.
“In Lagos, we have 640, 774 registered voters in Lagos and not the figure that were being branded around”, she said to the consternation of everyone in the hall.
“We are using IVEB to register while Beavers will be used for the election proper. On the election, we are going to be using BIVAS and without your card, BIVASS will not accredit you. Definitely you have to have your PVC.
“We have many cards that were registered since 2018 that people have not yet claimed”.
While stating that the online registration has closed, he added that the physical registration that is ongoing in their office is a very cumbersome process.
“The online pre – registration has closed since May 30, 2022. What we are now doing is ‘walk – in’, a situation where those yet to register or those with complaints walk into our office to fill forms and fill necessary details”, she said.
“The walk –in is a very cumbersome process unlike the online registration, unfortunately, our people did not take advantage of it fully.
“We may not be able to register 20 residents daily for the walk – in because it’s not an easy process”.
She also warned against residents who had registered before registering again instead of coming to their office to claim their PVCs.
“Once you have registered before, there will be no need to register again, except that you have left your former place of residence to new one place and even at that, you will only need transfer”, she said.
“If you also need to replace damaged or defaced card, we can also do that for you, even if you have lost your card, you can get a replacement”.
The INEC official said that anybody without PVC will not be allowed to vote.
“You can only vote with PVC and without it, there is nothing that you can do on the election day except to be an onlooker.
“We are begging you to come and collect your cards now that we have the time and space and not wait till when it would be too late”, she pleaded.
While also making their respective contributions at the event, stakeholders raised some issues adversely affecting them to register and also proffered solutions.
Alhaji Luqman Sonibare, Chairman, Central Development Committee (CDC), lkorodu division, called for the creation of direct access road into the INEC office from the TOS Benson Avenue to eradicate the difficulty being faced by residents going to the INEC office from the GRA gate.
Another resident called on INEC to deploy their men to Gberigbe/Agura axis where many are yet to register.
Also commenting, a student charged chieftains of political parties and INEC to also focus on the registration of youths who are in large number than the adults they are concentrating on. She also suggested that they should engage students’ union bodies and youth groups to drive the PVC sensitization campaign.
Hon. Batife, a the Deputy Leader, Legislative Arm, Ikorodu West LCDA, called on INEC to deploy more men and equipment to make the registration process quicker.
As an annual tradition during the stakeholders’ meeting, the entire attendees in the large hall at the end of the meeting were presented with a cartoon of indomie and 5kg bag of garri each by the lawmaker as take home gifts.
