By Beatrice Gondyi
Bauchi — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has decried that over 86, 962 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) are yet to be collected by their owners.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Bauchi State, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, disclosed this in an interactive session with Journalists and the Inter-Party Advisory (IPAC) on the activities of the Commission towards the 2019 general elections.
Abdullahi explained that the PVCs of all eligible registered voters, who registered between April 2017 and January, 2018 are ready for collection.
He said: “The total of 93, 486 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for those who registered as from 27th April 2017 to January, 2018 in Bauchi State have been printed and are ready for collection.
“So far, 6, 524 have been collected across the 20 Local Government Areas of Bauchi State. If you check, you’ll see that it is only a fraction that have collected their cards.”
He appealed to the media and members of IPAC to mobilise their owners to claim them especially because of the pending election for Bauchi South.
He however said that people have told him that “the reason people have not collected their cards is because of the Ramadan fast and the rainy season, but I think the collection is worth all the sacrifices.”
Abdullahi also said that PVCs for those who registered in 2014 have still not been collected by them.
“My final appeal to you all is to continue to encourage the electorates to go out and register and collect their cards. These should be done peacefully,” he said.
The REC commended IPAC for its efforts that ensured that all the congresses so far held in the state were all peaceful saying that, “you should keep it up in other congresses and whatever grievances you have, follow the proper channels in addressing them.”
Meanwhile, the REC said that the Commission cannot conduct the by-election for the Bauchi South Senatorial District to fill the vacuum created by the death of Senator Ali Wakili.
Ali Wakili, on Saturday, 17th March, 2018, was said to have slumped in his house but was confirmed dead at the National Hospital, Abuja where he was rushed to.
The REC, while responding to questions from newsmen after the briefing, said that INEC had not yet been officially notified by the Senate of the death of the Bauchi South Senator.
He said: “the Senate has the responsibility to inform INEC of any vacuum created by the death of any senator even if we know there is a vacuum.
“As a Commission, the Constitution does not allow us to go ahead and conduct election unless we are officially informed by the Senate President of the demise of any Senator.
“We are supposed to conduct election to fill that vacuum 30 days from the day we receive communication from the Senate.”
Abdullahi further said that although there are a lot of interpretations as to what the delay in conducting the election is, “we have to follow the Constitution. I am not aware that any such communication has been done between the Senate and the Commission.”