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From Joseph Obukata, Warri
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Delta State, Rev Monday Udoh Tom, has described as false a viral video alleging extortion by policemen from registrants who came to INEC Uvwie LGA office to collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), on Tuesday, December 13, 2022.
Footage in circulation had purported extortion of perspective PVC collectors in the council area by policemen deployed to the office.
But a statement by Ag. Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Delta State, Bukola Ojeme, described the claim purported in the footage as false after an investigation ordered by the resident commissioner.
According to him, to ascertain the veracity of the content of the video, the Electoral Officer, Uwvie LGA, as well as authorities of Delta State Police Command were contacted to get their side of the story.
The REC further directed an independent review of the video, by IT experts, so as to corroborate or test the validity of information supplied by both the EO and Police, he said.
According to Ojeme, in the statement, after careful consideration of the information supplied by EO, Police authority and IT expert, the following facts have been established.
“The video was shot outside Uwvie LGA, INEC office.
“The video was shot at exactly 4:30 pm, about an hour and a half, after the mandatory closing time of 3:00 pm for PVC collection.
“The said author of the video was among those, whom the EO, in the exercise of his discretion, became a beneficiary of the extension of time, beyond the mandatory closing time of 3:00 pm to collect his PVC.
“But it became necessary for the EO, at some point to announce to those who were on queue to collect their PVC, that, collection of PVC would stop at exactly 4:15 pm, to allow for the daily inventory and records of PVC collected, with a plea for resumption of collection at exactly 9:00 am, the next day, as directed by the Commission.
“Before this announcement, some officers of the Nigeria Police Force, on routine patrol also stopped by to collect their PVCs, and in line with the demands of their duties, were accorded priority, to be able to collect their PVCs.
“At exactly 4:15 pm, the EO announced a halt to the collection of PVC, directing the security to ensure every none staff of the Commission exits the premises , after which the exits and entrance gates were firmly padlocked, leaving only the staff of the Commission within to carry out their duties of inventory and reconciliation of PVCs collected for the day.
“Unknown to the EO, the decision to halt PVC collection, well after the mandatory hours did not go down well with those who could not collect theirs, at the time, hence the recourse to spewing falsehood.
“It is also pertinent to note that, journalists from respected community-based and national medium were around to monitor the collection and no mention of policemen extorting registrants was made in their reportage.
“It is also interesting to note that, the author conveniently forgot to capture the said policemen extorting money from those who had come to collect their PVCs.
“In the light of the above, the Hon REC emphatically debunk the narrative of the said video, as a product of a wrongful way of ventilating anger, at the EO and men of the Nigeria Police.
The REC appealed to those yet to collect their PVCs to exercise restraint and show understanding in the course of the exercise, scheduled for 12th December 2022 to 22nd January 2023.
The REC further assured Deltans, who could not collect their PVCs at the respective INEC LGA offices, to do so at their respective Wards from 6th January to 15th January 2023, adding that those who are unable to collect their PVCs at the ward level, after 15th January have the opportunity of doing so, at INEC LGA offices, from January 16, 2023.
