Investigate and prosecute those making money collecting PVC, INEC told

The Resource Center for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate and prosecute its officials involved in collecting money from citizens before issuing their Permanent Voter Card (PVC).

CHRICED Executive Director Comrade Dr. Ibrahim Zikirullahi made this call in Abuja while briefing journalists on the state of the country.

While praising INEC for the recent extension of the PVC collection time frame, he pointed out that there are some disturbing videos on social media asking Nigerians to pay a fee before collecting their PVCs.

He described this act as petty corruption and asked INEC to intervene so that some Nigerians would not be disenfranchised during the general election.

“CHRICED commends the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the recent extension of the PVC collection time frame.

“However, there is highly disturbing video evidence of cases where Nigerians seeking to collect their PVCs have been asked to hand over specific sums of money in order to obtain their PVCs.

“CHRICED unequivocally condemns these displays of petty corruption in the PVC collection process, as documented in Enugu and Nasarawa states.

“While these may be isolated cases of corruption by some unscrupulous officials, it is important that the Commission swiftly investigates these offenses and ensures that law enforcement officers bring the perpetrators to justice,” he said.

Zikirullahi also called on INEC to build more trust regarding the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) device, which came under the spotlight during the recent ruling of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal for the gubernatorial elections of Osun State in 2022.

He said that while the case is likely to move through the judicial system all the way to the Supreme Court, the Tribunal’s ruling on overvote raises some fundamental questions about how the INEC Presiding and Collation Officers oversaw the process.

“Some critical questions need to be answered: Was there collusion by INEC officials at the polling stations, who recorded overvotes, as pointed out by the Tribunal? If so, what steps will the Commission take to avoid a recurrence, especially as the 2023 general election approaches?

“INEC needs to reflect on these issues and take critical steps to build confidence and ensure a free, fair and credible general election in 2023,” he added.

Speaking about the redesigned Naira and currency swap policies, Zikirullahi said disturbing photos of Nigerians in a life-and-death struggle for the new Naira notes from banks and automatic teller machines (ATMs) across the country have become commonplace.

He noted that while ordinary people cannot access the new banknotes, provocative videos have surfaced on social media of partygoers spraying bundles of the new banknotes.

His words: “Until now, the CBN and relevant law enforcement agencies have not considered it necessary to investigate how such large amounts of the new currency shown in those social media videos ended up in the hands of those individuals who used them to show off, while most citizens had to endure long lines to get some money.

“CHRICED finds it untenable that while the CBN continues to insist that it supplied the redesigned currency to banks, the new banknotes have almost never been available in banks’ ATMs, resulting in severe currency shortages.

“The situation has deteriorated to the point where unscrupulous POS operators now charge between 20 and 30 percent of any amount their customers choose to withdraw as compensation for providing cash. In addition, digital channels for financial transactions have become even more difficult as online bank transfers suffer from hitches and record errors.

“So the fact remains that the cash swap policy of the CBN continues to impoverish many more Nigerians.

“If we consider the pros and cons of the currency redesign and exchange policy, there is no doubt that it is a colossal failure and an unmitigated disaster.

“Criminals, money launderers and vote buyers have taken advantage of the porous nature of the CBN system to hide their illicit wealth, while ordinary citizens who need little money to survive on a daily basis have no access to the currency. We are in a situation where Naira is now used to buying Naira.

“Furthermore, the CBN’s unpopular policy of redesigning Naira notes is already driving honest and hard-working farmers, traders and artisans in rural areas, whose money is all cash, out of business.”

READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN STAND