PVCs can’t be used to manipulate polls, says INEC chair

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday said the identification number on the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) cannot be used to manipulate elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this in Abuja at a forum tagged “Women National Dialogue with INEC Chairman” organised by the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES).

Responding to a question on insinuations that some political party agents were collecting identification numbers on PVCs in exchange for N10,000 TraderMoni scheme, Prof Yakubu said it was unimaginable for someone to induce voters with money to collect voter identification number to manipulate elections.

There had been reactions mostly from the opposition parties that distribution of cash to petty traders by the federal government was a covert ploy to induce voters ahead of the general elections.

“In respect of TraderMoni, we heard that some people have been going round inducing voters to produce their PVCs and they seem to copy the voter identification numbers and return the PVCs to the voters.

“No one should believe that somehow they induce the voters and copy the voter identification numbers to compromise the smart card readers and therefore compromise the elections. I want to assure you and assure Nigerians that nothing like that can happen on Election Day,” Prof Yakubu said.

He said there was no way anyone could use the identification number on PVC to either compromise the smart card reader on election day or compromise the process.

“There is no way anybody can compromise the integrity of the process simply by knowing the voter identification number of voters,” he said.

Meanwhile, the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) Project Coordinator, Rudolph Elbling, has called for the active participation of Nigerian women in the electoral process.

He noted that women constituted about a half of the total voting population and their active participation in the electoral process gives practical expression to the essence of democracy as government.

“It is therefore regrettable that over the years, the women have been marginalized in the electoral process and have to contend with systemic and cultural challenges that limit their rights as voters and candidates in elections,” he said.

He restated the commitment of ECES to continue to partner with INEC in promoting the participation of women, youth, Person Living with Disabilities and other marginalised groups in the electoral process.