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From Adetutu Folasade-Koyi, Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC,) has assured Nigerians and the international community that no legal action against the commission can stop next year’s general elections.
INEC also chided Nigerians equating the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) with Automatic Teller Machine (ATM), describing the comparison as uncharitable.
Speaking during an interactive session at a meeting with bureau chiefs and editors in Abuja, National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, also blamed the high volume of invalid registrations in some parts of the country on double and multiple registration due to rumours of possible expiration of PVCs. Okoye warned that the constitution is completely silent on what becomes the country if a president could not emerge should the poll fail to hold.
He said: “We assure all Nigerians that the processes and procedures as well as the preparations for the conduct of the 2023 general election are on course. Out of the 14 items in our timetable and schedule of activities, we have implemented nine and we implemented all of them on schedule.
“We are comfortable with the level of our preparations and as the chairman of the commission has assured the nation, never again will scheduled elections be postponed or rescheduled on account of logistics and logistics challenges,” he assured.
Speaking further, the national commissioner said: “Now on the comparison between PVCs and ATM, it will be uncharitable to equate the two. ATM cannot be used to remove government in power, but PVC can. So, it will be wrong to equate them.”
