TheCable

A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) has decried the difficulties experienced by some registered voters in getting their permanent voter cards (PVCs).

In a joint statement on Friday, the coalition — which comprises 10 groups — called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the deadline.

INEC had fixed January 29 as the deadline for PVC collection.

Making a case for an extension, the coalition said many registered voters are at risk of being disenfranchised.

The CSOs said INEC officials told some of the registered voters “that their PVCs were not available while others were asked to return on a later day beyond the deadline or after the election”.

They argued that the development is a breach of the Electoral Act 2022 which mandates INEC in section 16(1) to design, print and issue voter cards to those whose names appear in the register.

The coalition also lamented the inability of some students of tertiary institutions to get their PVCs due to the constraint of distance.

The CSOs called on INEC to extend the deadline “to ensure everyone whose cards were not found are reprinted, and there is a clear process for them to pick up the cards”.

The coalition urged the commission to liaise with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to ensure that there are no classes or exams the week before elections to enable students to go home and vote.

The CSOs further called on INEC to create a dedicated desk for civil society organisations, media and citizens to escalate the issues being observed for a quick resolution.

Members of the coalition include Yiaga Africa, Women Advocates and Research Development Centre (WARDC), Reclaim Naija, #FixPolitics, Enough is Enough Nigeria, ConnectHub, and Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID).