Nobody can vote with stolen PVC-Jega

Ahead of next year’s general elections, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, yesterday, said it will be impossible for anybody to vote with stolen Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs either in 2015 or thereafter.

JEGA gave the assurance on Wednesday at a stakeholders’ interactive forum organised by Rivers State INEC in Port Harcourt.

This is as the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr Dan Bature, stated that the state police command had put adequate security measure in place to ensure a hitch-free election in the state.

Bature warned that violators of electoral laws would be dealt with in line with the law. Jega who was represented at the forum by the Supervisory National Commissioner in-charge of INEC, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom and Cross Rivers states, Mrs Thelma Iremiren, said the electronic device used in making the PVC would make it impossible to be used by any other person who is not the owner.

The INEC boss called for the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure a hitch-free election in February 2015, saying the commission wanted to use the PVC to further give credibility to the electoral exercise.

He said also called on eligible voters in Rivers State who are yet to register to use the opportunity of the PVC registration exercise to do so.

On the state of preparedness, security wise for 2015 poll, the Police Commissioner said, “there can be elections without democracy, but there can be no democracy without elections.”

Represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Alkali Shiaba, he said the 2015 elections in the state must be free and fair and devoid of undue “inappropriate pressure.” He assured that the state police command was fully prepared for the elections, adding that the realities of the political environment in the state made it pertinent for a close synergy between security agencies and all stakeholders.

He said the police was prepared for the security of lives, safety of electoral officers and observers as well as candidates during rallies, before, during and after elections.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Rivers State, Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, admonished all eligible voters to ensure that they get registered.

He said anybody who did not have authentic PVC would not be allowed in the 2015 elections, advising the electorate to use the opportunity provided by the PVC registration exercise and the Continuous Voters Register, CVR, to get registered.

Source : nationalmirroronline