In the days leading up to the 2021 Anambra governorship election, a Twitter user alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had yet to begin the issuance of permanent voters cards (PVCs) to newly registered voters.
Conclusion: This is correct. In Anambra State, INEC is failed to begin distributing permanent voter cards to newly-registered voters in preparation for the governorship election in 2021.
Full Text: As the election for the next governor of Anambra State approaches, Nigerians have expressed concerns about voter safety, owing to a spate of insecurity in the state, reportedly caused by the Indigenous People of Biafra's operations (IPOB).
The separatist group has been linked to recent violent attacks around the state, which have targeted private residents, security officials, and even government parastatals, such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which was attacked in its state office in Awka in May 2021. The attack destroyed office buildings, vehicles, and crucial election materials, further delaying preparations and raising questions about the poll's success on November 6.
Ifeanyichukwu (), a Twitter user, recently repeated one of these worries in a series of tweets. With only a few days till the election, he alleged that INEC had not begun distributing permanent voters cards to newly-registered voters in the state, casting doubt on the commission's ability to hold the elections.
"With 23 days till the Anambra elections, the state has failed to begin the distribution of PVCs following the CVR. We're going to vote on the Tinubu Portfolio?" "He tweeted, attaching a photo of Nigeria's president, Muhammadu Buhari, and former senator and ex-governor of Lagos, Bola Tinubu," the tweet continues.
In addition to other tweets, the person with over 8,000 followers also wrote: "20days to Anambra elections, but @inecnigeria is still to start distribution of PVC after CVR.. don already plan out 35k officers and 2 Helicopters, na Biafran war?!"
"Anambra State Gubernatorial election is 21 DAYS away," wrote, a Nigerian account committed to voter education. According to reports, 1.2 million people registered during the CVR. PVC distribution has yet to begin. "How are the people of Anambra expected to vote?"
Despite the uncertainties surrounding the election, Dubawa's findings revealed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not abandoned intentions to hold the 2021 Anambra State Governorship election.
INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, who spoke during an emergency meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Poll Security (ICCES) in October to dispel rumors of a rescheduling, guaranteed that the election will not be postponed.
According to the information we have obtained, several of the attackers' declared goals are to prevent the governorship election set for November 6, 2021 from taking place,"
To thwart this plot, Mr Yakubu said the commission will continue to work closely with security services, Anambra State's recognized thought leaders, and the National Peace Committee to ensure that these attacks "do not derail the electoral process."
“To emphasize this determination, the commission will carry out two more operations on the election Timetable in the next days. On Thursday, October 7, 2021, the voter registration list will be handed to political parties in Awka.
The commission will release the final list of candidates for the election on the same day," he stated.
Festus Okoye, INEC's National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), stated the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will be available for collection on or shortly after October 7, 2021.
Mr Okoye stated, "The new registrants' PVCs will be ready for pickup on or shortly after October 7."
While INEC has released the final list of election candidates and handed over the voter register to political parties – both of which are due for October 7 – Dubawa's investigations revealed that the commission has yet to resume the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the state.
Registered voters had not begun receiving their PVCs as of October 21, 2021, two weeks after the process was set to begin on October 7.
Nonso Okafor, a resident of Obosi, told Dubawa that the exercise had not yet begun. "I have not yet received my PVC and have not had any correspondence from them." "They said we should come back the last time I went there," he remarked.
While the collection of PVCs has not yet begun, another resident, Austin Nze, stated that because to the state's present security concerns, many individuals are uninterested in the process.
"There's simply this apathy and disinterest in the state," he continued, "which I can understand given the circumstances in Awka and Anambra, as well as the whole IPOB issue."
"Given that, it's not the safest place to be, and everyone here is simply trying to remain alive."
When Dubawa called Mr Okoye, he reiterated the commission's promise to hold the poll as scheduled, saying that PVCs for newly registered voters are already being printed and will be available for pickup soon.
"Right now, we're printing the PVCs." Their (voters') phone numbers and email addresses are in our possession. We will send them emails, text messages, and a phone call when their PVCs are ready, and they will come pick up their PVCs.
"Everyone who has registered and is serious about voting will receive their PVCs at least a week before the election," he stated.
Conclusion
It is correct that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to begin distributing Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to newly registered voters. According to Dubawa's findings, INEC has yet to begin collecting PVCs two weeks after the date set by the commission for the start of the activity.
However, INEC assured Dubawa that PVC printing was still going on and that they would be ready for voters to pick up at least a week before the election.