BBYDI: Electorates Vote Without PVC in Kwara, Lagos

The Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI) has observed that some electorates cast their votes without Permanent Voter’s Card.

The Global Executive Director of BBYDI, Olasupo Abideen disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the Situation Room in Ilorin, Kwara State capital on Saturday.

According to him, In at least two different locations, our observers reported cases of registered voters who were allowed to cast their votes without their permanent voters card. We find this development concerning as the electoral law clearly states that any individual without their PVC can’t vote. We are also concerned about the implication this development will have on the level of credibility of the outcome of the election in these places.

Abideen said he personally witnessed one case at a polling unit around Tanke area, Ilorin South local government.

The group said observers recorded cases of violence in 20 different locations across Lagos State alone, adding that Kogi, Edo, Abuja, Kwara, Rivers, Imo, Akwa Ibom and Anambra had similar experience.

The statement read in part: “In our midday briefing, we highlighted how President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to display his ballot papers after he had thumb printed them represents a flagrant disregard for the country’s electoral law. BBYDI observed that public officials like Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom; Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Teslim Folarin of Abia and Oyo States, and the President’s Media Aide, Bashir Ahmad have also followed suit.

“We strongly condemn this action and maintain that for citizens to start following the dictates of the constitution, political office holders must lead by example. We also urge the electoral body to take legal steps against the culprits to send a strong message to the public.

“As results of polling units where the exercise commenced early begin to trickle in, we strongly warn members of the public to disregard electoral results being shared across various social media platforms being only INEC is empowered by the constitution to do this. We also urge individuals to desist from this as it poses a serious danger to the polity, especially in cases where the results being announced are fake.

“In the thousands of polling units across the country’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory where the exercise is still underway and the hundreds of polling units in states like Bayelsa where the electoral body has postponed the exercise till tomorrow, our situation room will continue to closely observe developments by tracking voter turnout through Yvotenaija, monitoring cases of electoral violence through EvitNG, debunking fake news through Factcheckelections, and presenting briefings at intervals through our press conference dorm.”