Lifestyle

Federal Government shuts down all universities for elections

No Comments

President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime has ordered the closure of all tertiary institutions ahead of the February 25 and March 11 elections.

“In view of the foregoing and concerns expressed on the security of staff, students and properties of our respective institutions, the Honourable Minister of Education, Mal Adamu Adamu, has, following extensive consultations with the relevant security agencies, directed that all universities and Inter University Centres be shut down and academic activities be suspended between 22 February and 14 March, 2023,” said a letter issued by the National Universities Commission on February 3.

The universities were asked to shut down February 22 to March 14.Last month, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) asked Mr Buhari to temporarily shut down all tertiary institutions until after the February 25 and March 11 elections.

The association stressed that the shutdown would allow students to obtain their PVCs.

“The office of the NANS vice president (external affairs) calls on the federal government of Nigeria to immediately close all tertiary institutions temporarily to afford students the opportunity to collect their PVCs from their local government Areas and vote in the forthcoming elections,” NANS vice-president Akinteye Babatunde had stated.

Lifestyle, Politics

INEC says 522,000 PVCs remain uncollected in Edo

No Comments

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday, announced that a total of 522,000 permanent voter cards (PVC) had yet to be collected in Edo.

INEC Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Timidi Wariowei, stated this during a town hall meeting on youth’s participation in elections.

The town hall meeting, organised by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), YES Project, was tagged: ‘Value Your Votes Najia.’Mr Wariowei, said that the 522,000 uncollected PVCs comprised both the old and the new ones.

He noted that at the end of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, a total of 419,000 PVCs, including transfers and information updates, were sent to the INEC office in the state.

“As at Feb. 1, out of the 419,000 PVCs, 299,000 had been collected, while a total of 120,000 are still uncollected.

“Also, about 402,000 old PVCs have yet to be collected in the state,” he said.

Mr Wariowei noted that when the distribution of the PVCs commenced, the daily collection was above 20,000, adding, however, that now, the daily collection had reduced to between 1,000 and 3,000 across the state.

He called on youth organisations and civil society organisations in the state to continue to sensitise residents on the need to collect their PVCs.

“It is the only means through which they can vote for their preferred candidates during forthcoming general elections,” he added.

Earlier, the Executive Director of YES Project, Oche Precious, in his address of welcome, said that the event was aimed at sensitising the youth on the need to come out en masse and cast their votes for their preferred candidates.

“This is the time to change the narrative by going out to cast our votes and decide the next leader that will pilot the affairs of our nation,” he said.

Lifestyle, Politics

Paul Okoye ‘Rude Boy’ calls out INEC over PVC collection

No Comments

Paul Okoye a.k.a Rude Boy has called out the Independent National Electoral Commission over the time frame given for PVC collection ahead of the 2023 general election.

Paul Okoye noted that there are 26 million students who are eligible voters and they are all back in school.

He further stated that most of these students registered for 2023 election during the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in 2022 and may not collect their PVCs with only 10 days remaining for the collection.

Politics

Politicians buying PVCs from voters, INEC alleges

No Comments

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday accused some politicians of buying Permanent Voter Cards and financially inducing voters to harvest their Voter Identification Numbers.

The commission also said two persons have been recently convicted for illegal possession of PVCs in Sokoto and Kano states.

The acting chairman of INEC and National Commissioner overseeing the FCT, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Plateau States, Mohammed Haruna, raised the alarm in Abuja during the launch of the #YourVoteMatters project by an election observer group, NESSACTION.

The project was supported by the International Foundation for Electoral System; the United States Agency for International Development and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

It aims to assist INEC in increasing the number of PVCs collected ahead of the 2023 general elections as well as the voters mobilised on election day.

Haruna said;

“We are aware that some politicians are more or less buying the PVCs. If you collect the PVC and then you sell it out or allow someone else to have it, you are aiding illegal possession of the PVC which is an offence in our Electoral Act.

“Some of you are aware that only recently, INEC managed to convict two people who were found guilty of illegal possession of PVCs in Kano and Sokoto.

So, I urge people to collect their PVCs, keep them safely, and make sure that on election day, you go out there and cast your votes because, of course, without your PVC you cannot vote.”

The Executive Director of NESSACTION, Eniola Cole, explained that the project scheduled for implementation in the FCT, Nasarawa, and Plateau states, would provide logistics and give incentives to communities with low PVC collection rates.

She commended INEC for gains made in the electoral process through technology and other reforms.Cole said;

“We implore the general public to take advantage of the timeframe set by INEC for PVC collection at the Commission’s LGA offices nationwide from December 12, 2022, to January 5, 2023, and at the 8809 Registration Areas from January 6, 2023, to January 22, 2023, including Saturdays and Sundays.

“The public can, through dedicated channels, inform us of their location to receive support including the PVC collection buses and community outreach activities to be conducted at the local level in each state by our community mobilisation officers.”

Lifestyle, World News

NIS retrieves over 500 national ID cards and PVCs from foreigners in Katsina

No Comments

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says 513 national identity cards and permanent voter cards (PVCs) have been retrieved from foreigners in Katsina.

Kelechi Ekeoba-Jones, NIS controller in the state, who disclosed this to NAN on Monday, November 14, 2022, during a media briefing at the newly established Jibia border command.

He said the special border command in Jibia recovered 202 PVCs and 311 national identity cards from non-Nigerians in the state.

“Some foreign nationals were found in possession of the Federal Republic of Nigeria voter cards and national identity cards issued to them in various states of the country,” he said.

“A total of 513 voter and national identity cards were retrieved from them in various formations of the command.

“Therefore, we are soliciting the support of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to engage us whenever a voter registration exercise is going to be conducted again.

“Only the immigration officials can identify foreigners through our techniques whenever they come to register at any registration centre across the country

“We are calling on INEC, at any point of registration, they should solicit the help of our people to avoid registering foreigners.

“So also, the body responsible for the national identity card registration, it should engage more of our officers whenever the exercise will commence because it’s very important” he added.

Politics

PVCs for new voters in Anambra ready October 7 — INEC

No Comments

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Tuesday the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) of new registrants in Anambra State would be ready for collection by October 7.

The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Festus Okoye, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.

He said the decision was made at a meeting of the commission on the preparations for the Anambra State governorship election slated for November 6.

Okoye said: “In line with the Timetable and Schedule of Activities, the commission will publish the official Register of Voters and the final list of nominated candidates for the election on October 7.

“The PVCs of the new registrants will be ready for collection on or shortly after October 7.

“Registrants will be notified accordingly through their respective email addresses and telephone numbers when their PVCs are ready for collection.”

The INEC official disclosed that campaigns for the election would end on November 4.

Close Menu

Privacy Policy