Ibadan — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oyo State says the total number of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected in the state is 2,325,372.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr Rahmon Tella disclosed this at the commission’s enlarged stakeholders’ meeting on Monday in Ibadan .
Tella said: “analysis of the total number of old PVCs collected was 2,088,558, while the total number of collected new/fresh registration PVCs was 236,814.
“However, the total PVCs so far collected including both old and new/fresh registration was 2,325,372.
“As I speak to you now, we have a total number of 3,276.675 eligible registered voters in Oyo State.”
According to him, five days away from the conduct of Presidential and National Assembly Elections in the state, all hands must therefore be on deck to ensure its successful conduct with the cooperation of all critical stakeholders.
He commended the cooperative, supportive and committed efforts of all stakeholders in the electioneering process, especially the royal fathers.
He said that the Commission began preparations for 2023 General Elections since the conclusion of 2019 General Elections, with the expansion of voters having access to Polling Unit by converting the existing 1,607 Voting Points to full fledge Polling Units from initial number of 4,783 Polling Units now making a total number of 6,390 Polling Units in the State.
Tella said that thereafter, the Commission began Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in June 2021 to pave way for those that just turned 18 years or for those that have not registered before as well as for those whose PVCs got defaced/lost or those that needed to transfer their voter’s card from one location to another.
According to him, as part of preparations, INEC in collaboration with the Nigeria Police organised a Peace Accord among all the 18 Political Parties’ Governorship candidates across the length and breadth of the State early in the year.
“We all know that meaningful development cannot take place in an environment devoid of peace.
“It is therefore my pleasure to let you know that all candidates have promised to let peace reign as we prepare for the forthcoming elections in the State,” he said.
On security, the REC said that the state had enjoyed a relatively peaceful and secured environment since his assumption of duty in the state.
He said that periodic meetings had been held with all members of Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) especially the Police to nip in the bud those areas identified as flash points ahead of the general elections.
” No doubt, incessant attacks on INEC facilities really called for concern. However, security agencies in the state have assured the Commission of maximum security before, during and after the coming general elections.
“In fact, kudos to all the security agencies for their unrelenting efforts to ensure that all our facilities are adequately secured both at the State and all the 33 INEC Local Government Area Offices in the State,” he added.
On recruitment and training of election personnel, Tella said that INEC had engaged in online recruitment and training of both ad-hoc and staff members ahead of the polls.
According to him, series of training have been ongoing, while some have been concluded accordingly.
“The likes of training of Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) on Polls Management and BVAS operations, the training of Presiding/Assistant Presiding Officers POs/APOs, Electoral Security training for Security Personnel and such like.
“However, training for Registration Area Technicians (RATECH) and Collation Officers will soon begin as well,” the commissioner said.
Tella listed the 18 registered Political Parties contesting the coming elections in the state to include: Accord Party (AP), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressive Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Parties (NNPP), National Rescue Movement (NRM) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Boot Party (BP) respectively.
“It is no longer news that campaign activities for the Presidential and National Assembly Elections commenced from Wednesday, 28th September 2022 and it is expected to come to an end at midnight of Thursday, 23rd Feb. 2023.
“Likewise, that of the Governorship and House of Assembly Elections campaign activities began from Oct. 12th 2022 and will come to an end at midnight of Thursday 9th March 2023 respectively.
“I therefore implore political parties and candidates to keep to the rules and regulations of campaign activities just as we draw nearer to the Election Day,” he said.
Tella said that all party agents were to collect their respective tags from the Electoral Officers in their respective 33 INEC Local Government Area Offices ahead of the Polls.
According to him, briefing for both the International and Local Observers is expected to take place on Wednesday 22nd Feb. at the venue which shall be communicated to all concerned observers, so as to collect Election Observers’ kits and tags.
Tella also said that all media organisations that applied for accreditation were to collect their media tags as from this week at the INEC State Office.
On logistics and transport arrangements, Tella said: “The Commission met recently with all members of the Transport Unions in the State to discuss logistics and transport plans ahead of the Polls in the State.
“I am glad to inform you that our discussion with these Transport Unions has been positive with the hope that a contractual agreement will be sealed very soon.
“The Electoral Officers throughout the 33 INEC LGA in the State have however been meeting and strategizing with these Transport Union officials in their respective LGAs,” he said.
The commissioner said that non sensitive materials had been received in the state and deployed to their respective 33 INEC Local Government Area Offices.
On migration of some voters from congested polling units, Tella said that INEC had pasted the list of redistributed voters from most populated to the less populated polling in proximate location.
He said that the migration of voters affected 815 Polling Units in 28 INEC Local Government Areas, putting into consideration their proximity from one another on Election Day.
“I therefore implore you our stakeholders to give the exercise the publicity that it deserves in your various domains ahead of the Polls in the State. In the same vein, arising from the recent mock accreditation exercise recently in the State using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), some voters turned up at the wrong Polling Units.
“The Commission is therefore offering two unique ways by which all voters can locate and confirm their Polling Units before Election Day. This can be done by sending a normal text message of the name of your State, last name and the last 6 digits of your Voter Identification Number (VIN) to 09062830860 or 09062830861. For example, OYO AKINOLA 445322 to get your Polling Unit name.
“You can also get it on INEC website by visiting www.voters.inecnigeria.org or www.crv. inecnigeria.org/vvs to get your Polling Unit name accordingly,” he added.
Tella, who assured that INEC had made efforts to make voting more transparent, said that the Commission introduced a number of innovations facilitated by technology.
“On Election Day, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is to be used for voter’s verification and accreditation, the same device is to be used to upload Polling Unit election results and it is expected to be viewed via INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) on www.inecelectionresults.ng as well.
“Moreover, for an inclusive 2023 General Elections, assistive materials such as Braille Ballot Guide, transcribed voter information in Braille for the blind, magnifying glass for the albinos, posters for hard to hear electorate have been provided accordingly.
“People Living with Disabilities (PWDs) are to be given priority including pregnant women and the elderly on Election Day. I therefore urge all eligible voters including our stakeholders to confirm their voting locations, get their PVCs, eschew all forms of Electoral Violence, including vote buying/trading on Election Day and vote for the candidate of your choice.
“In doing so, you will be contributing to our avowed commitment to deliver credible, verifiable, inclusive and transparent elections in the State,” he said.
