In the face of contentious accusations of rigging by the major contenders to major contenders in the Saturday, February 23, 2019 rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections by officials of the two major parties- the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), civil society group- BudgIT, on Tuesday challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission to published the updated data of Permanent Voter’s Card collection.
The Presidential and NASS elections were postponed abruptly a few hours to takeoff due to ‘logistic’ challenge by the INEC, attracting wide public outcry and condemnation.
In the statement, Shakir korede, Communications Associate at BudgIT expressed deep concern at the secrecy in which such major data that can safeguard the elections from possible manipulations is being confined.
INEC says there are 84m registered voters for the general elections, but has ignored requests by local and international observers to give the total number of collected voters’ cards across the country
BudgIT stressed that statements like: “84 million registered voters” is vague and susceptible to manipulation the very moment Nigerians are barred from the actual data of collected PVCs.”
Total number of collected PVCs in February 17, 2015, the statement recalled, was given as 52m and updated regularly, wondering why the hesitation by INEC this time around.
The organisation charged INEC to do the needful and failure to do so casts immense doubts around its integrity and as such the credibility of the upcoming elections.
“We’re calling, once again, on INEC to publish immediately the total number of voters cards collected in all states. In the pursuance of fair elections, this is the right thing. Nigerians should, amidst many uncertainties, have data of expected votes.