The Independent National Electoral Commission in Nigeria (INEC) has insisted on the use of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) in the elections of April 11, setting aside an appeal of the gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Gyang Pwajok, for Temporary Voter Cards (TVC) to be allowed in the polls.
Mr Pwajok, had on Thursday last week, appealed to the Chairman of INEC, Attahiru Jega, to allow Nigerians with TVCs vote using manual voters’ register during the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
Addressing reporters in Jos, the Plateau State capital, Mr Pwajok pointed out that the Smart Card Reader machines used during the Presidential and National Assembly elections of March 28 posed several challenges that led to many voters being disenfranchised.
He had requested that the electoral body should discard the use of card readers during the April 11 elections.
In a statement on Thursday, the INEC spokesperson in Plateau State, Osaretin Imahiyereobo, said the commission would not permit the use of Temporary Voter Cards.
Mr Imahiyereobo also stated that the faults with the card readers in the state had been addressed.
“The commission had reviewed the operation of the card reader in the March 28 elections, identified the challenges and has taken adequate measures to address them,” he said.
During the election of March 28, most card readers deployed to Plateau State did not function well during the polls.
The Spokesman for the chairman of the INEC, Mr Kayode Idowu, had also told Channels Television that the issues relating to the poor performance of the card reader had been identified and addressed after the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
