TheCable

Despite public holiday, inadequate preparation on the part of the Independent Electoral National Commission (INEC), undermined the Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) collection exercise in Lagos state on Friday.

Earlier, INEC earmarked November 7 and 8 for the exercise in Lagos state; this in turn led to the declaration of Friday as a work free day for civil servants in the state.

However, the preparations made by people and the government of the state did not receive the same tally from the commission, which showed inadequate preparations in various part of the state.

INEC said on Thursday that it would no longer distribute PVCs in nine of the 20 local government areas of the state as earlier scheduled, leaving Alimosho, Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Oshodi-Isolo, Shomolu, Surulere, the governor’s constituency and Eti-Osa local government out of the current exercise.

Babatunde Fashola, the governor of Lagos state expressed his utmost disappointment in the commission for what he called “poor planning”, despite postponing the exercise twice before November 7.

“A few days ago, I raised an issue about the delisting of no fewer than 1.4 million registered voters in the state from INEC’s register; the latest development was insult upon injury,” he said.

“I am deeply disappointed at this display of lack of planning that speaks volumes; I wish to recall that it was INEC that first announced that this exercise was planned for August.

“It later shifted it to September, and then, today; yet it did not get it right. If this is a foretaste of what we should expect in the general election, it is a bad start.”

TheCable’s visit to parts of Lagos to monitor the exercise showed that the commission was not ready for teeming Lagosians who were ready to be a part of the civic exercise.

As at 9am, INEC officials were not around to attend to the waiting members of the local government at major parts of Kosofe local government area.

People awaiting commencement of the exercise in Ikeja

At Ikeja local government, corps members were on ground for the exercise, but the INEC officials were unavailable.

A worker at the local government told TheCable that everyone is expected to go to their registration point in 2011 and not to come to the local government.

At various centres in Alausa, the INEC officials came between to 2-3pm with the list of registered voters but no voter cards to present to the people.

As at 3:47 pm, an INEC official who spoke to TheCable said: “We have not got the materials, the cards are not here, but would be here soon, please just hang around.”

Adekunle Ogunmola, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the State, in defence of the commission said the delay was as a result of volume of the job.

He said privileged information had it that the contractor handling the exercise was responsible for the delay, adding that the assignment was too big for him due to the volume of the job.

The ever-busy state secretariat deserted because of the holiday

Ogunmola also dismissed any rumours on postponement of the exercise, saying the exercise had begun, though acknowledging the need for a day’s extension in the exercise to cover for loss time.

“We will now extend the exercise to 5:00pm each day so that we can make up for the lost time,” he said.

“We will extend the exercise by one day because the exercise commenced behind schedule but we have not postponed the exercise.”

The commission is expected to conduct general elections in the state in February 2015.