CVR: Edo residents urge INEC to deploy functional machines
Residents of Benin have called on INEC to deploy more voter enrolment devices in Edo to ease the challenges facing prospective registrants.
The ongoing voter registration in the capital city, it was gathered, was fraught with various constraints.
Peter Osahon, 56, at Oredo INEC office disclosed that he came to obtain a new Permanent Voter Card (PVC), having misplaced a previous one.
“I have been coming here every day for the past one week only for capturing without success. This is because of the large crowd of people here and the slow pace of the process,” said Mr Osahon. “One of the problems is that INEC staff members are using only one machine, which makes the process very slow. If INEC can just add one more machine, the process will be fast.”
A trader at the Mission Road Market, Festus Ogbonnaya, also recounted his frustrations.
“The process is very difficult because of the crowd. Many people want to get the PVC so that they can vote for leaders, who will change the fortune of this country. Last Thursday, the whole of Crook Road, Mission Road Market were closed to enable the traders to go and register,” said Mr Ogbonnaya. “We closed our shops and went to queue for the registration but many of us could not register. I have never been registered before because I lost interest in the electoral process because people’s votes did not count.”
He said he was worried though INEC promised that electorate’ votes would count.
“Unfortunately, I may not be able to vote, if I did not get a PVC before the end of the exercise,” lamented Mr Ogbonnaya.
According to him, additional machines are needed to make the process seamless.
Also, Moses Igbinedion said he was at the INEC office to collect his PVC, having registered in September 2021.
“I came since morning and I do not think it will get to my turn today because of the long queue,” Mr Igbinedion said.
The chairman of Zenith Labour Party, Bishop Akhalamhe, who also decried the slow pace, called on INEC to deploy more machines for the exercise.
“We have sensitised the people on the need to get registered and they have all come out, but there is no machine to capture them,” Mr Akhalamhe.
He blamed the challenge partly on the movement of the machine from one location to another, which left many people confused.
“INEC should tell us whether its problem is the lack of adequate machines or manpower to carry out the exercise so we will know how to help out,” added Mr Akhalamhe.
(NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
World
Over 1.4 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan: UNHCR
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has estimated that over 1.4 million Afghan refugees are registered in Pakistan.
Rights
Workers’ strike to paralyse Britain’s train services
Train passengers would face chaos with only a fifth of services running and half of the lines closed.
NationWide
Supreme Court justices dancing naked in marketplace; they should be seen, not heard: CJN Tanko
Peoples Gazette had obtained and published an internal memo detailing the complaints of associate justices to the Chief Justice of the Federation.
Politics
Buhari writes Senate to confirm Umana Umana, six other new ministers
Mr Buhari said he expected to receive the usual expeditious consideration and confirmation of the nominees by the Senate.
Politics
Peter Obi should try to be president in 2027 or 2031: Babangida Aliyu
I think he will make some name now. But he may be able to make it only in 2027, 2031. But 2023? Too early,” Mr Aliyu said.
Education
Hijab Crisis: Muslims slam Kwara govt, demand change of missionary schools’ names
MSSN criticised the government over the murder of Habeeb Idris and the maiming of several other Muslims at the premises of Oyun Baptist High School, Ijagbo, on February 4.
