Abiodun Onafuye/ Abeokuta

Governor Amosun, middle, with his wife Olufunso, shows his card

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, southwest, Nigeria has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to extend the
period for the distribution of the Permanent Voters Card in the State to enable residents get theirs.

Amosun, who was at Ajura Ward 4 in Obafemi Owode local government area of the State today alongside his wife, Olufunsho to collect
his card told newsmen that the people complained of their names missing on the list pasted by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The governor appealed to INEC for extension of the exercise, saying, “There were too many irregularities according to reports reaching me
across the State. I want to commend INEC for this exercise but they appear not to be ready, because there are too many hitches.

“I want to appeal to INEC to consider extending the days. I also want to appeal to you, my people to take the pain to do whatever INEC tell
you to get your voter’s cards because without it you cannot vote,” Amosun pleaded.

At Ago Oba Central Mosque in Ward 13, Abeokuta South local government, where the former governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba went for his PVC, the
officials located his name but said he had to go to the INEC office to collect his card.

According to one of the officials, “there is a special arrangement for dignitaries in the State to collect their cards at INEC headquarters.”

The former governor and Akinrogun of Egbaland, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, however declined to speak with newsmen after the exercise.

Residents of the area however complained of missing names and some people who found their names on the register were unable to collect their cards because INEC was yet to print them.

A legislator representing Abeokuta South local government Constituency 2, Hon. Oluwafemi Wilfred Allen Taylor said his name was missing from
the register, appealing to the people to re-enrol for them to be able to vote at future elections.

Similar experience was witnessed at Omida, Ward 15, also in Abeokuta Township, where many names were missing on the displayed register. In Ijebu-Ode, in Ogun east senatorial district, the PVCs were only available in two wards. Most people who came out to collect their cards in the other wards, went back home disappointed.

People also complained of the lateness of the INEC officials. Most INEC officials did not arrive the polling centres until after 10:00 whereas most people got to the centres as early as 7:00 am.

“We left everything to come here. The officials did not come until 10am. My husband has called me to complain about similar experience.
He had collected his card; my own name is not on the list. They said I have to come back and start the process all over again. The State
government has said the card is a must to access certain services, that’s why I am here,” a woman lamented.

Meanwhile, most residents of Ifo local government area of Ogun State today staged a peaceful protest to express their dissatisfaction
with the distribution of the Permanent Voters card in the area.

The protesters, who were mainly politicians, our correspondent gathered, rose from a meeting and took to the streets moving straight
to the local government secretariat and later to the INEC office in the local government.

They carried placards with various inscriptions, all pointing towards the irregularities of the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC to perfect their arrangements, which according to them is a ploy to deprive them from voting during the election in
February, 2015.

One of the leaders of the protesters, Gafar Abiodun, who spoke with our correspondent, describe the development as a ploy by the electoral
body to rig election in 2015.

He explained that the same material was made available for the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission for the conduct of local
government election two years ago.

According to him, “out of the 220 polling units in the local government, PVCs will be distributed only in 95 units while those of
115 units were missing,” alleging that, “ it was a deliberate attempt at disenfranchising the people of the local government and a means of
preventing people from performing their civic right.

“How on earth could INEC that recently boasted to conduct credible, free and fair elections not be able to successfully distribute PVC to
registered voters? How could a whole electoral commission not able to keep data of registered voters, when pepper sellers on the street can
keep their voter card?

“How could INEC that supplied data to OGSIEC for the conduct of local government elections in 2012 said there was no backup for their data,
from where did they got the materials supplied to OGSIEC? How would a local government with 220 polling units be able to distribute PVC in
only 95 units and 115 units were missing?

“Is this not a deliberate attempt at disenfranchising our people? Is this not a means of preventing our people from performing their civic
right? Is this not the beginning of rigging? This indeed is a slap on INEC and an indication that 2015 general elections would not be
generally accepted. I can’t believe my people in Ajuwon/Akute who took pain to get registered in 2011 will not get their PVC and they will
have to start all lover, this indeed is a wicked act. A ward with 38 units will only have PVC for 3 units,” Abiodun said.

The INEC Commissioner in the State, Sam Olumekun, has however assured that all electorate in the State will have their cards before the next
election.