Group Task INEC Over PVC Collection, Goes To Court

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January 3, 2023

Group Task INEC Over PVC Collection, Goes To Court

The International Society for Civil liberties and The Rule of Law and others have taken Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to court on behalf of registered Nigerian voters who they fear are about to be disenfranchised by the electoral body In the forthcoming 2023 polls.

In the suit NO.FHC/ABJ/CS/23482022 brought before the federal high court in Abuja on December 22, 2022 by the Plaintiffs, they demanded that INEC should ensure that all the registered voters get their PVCs before the elections.

The plaintiffs were seeking among other things, “A declaration that having duly registered and been captured in the defendant’s register of voters and electronic database of registered voters, the plaintiffs and all persons they represent in this suit are entitled to exercise their right to vote in the forthcoming general elections fixed for February to March 2023.

“A declaration that all persons who have duly registered with the defendant (INEC) as voters and those whose names are contained in the defendant’s register of voters and or electronic database of registered voters should not and cannot be deprived of the right and opportunity to vote in the forthcoming general elections fixed for February to March 2023.”

Also “an order from the honorable court compelling the defendant to release forthwith the permanent voter’s cards of the plaintiffs and all members of their class to enable them to vote in the forthcoming general elections.”

The plaintiffs are also demanding that alternative to the above, the court could direct the defendant to reprint, distribute and release the permanent voter’s cards of the plaintiffs (voters) and all persons they represent in the suit or otherwise allow them to vote with their old (temporary) voter’s card or registration slips issued and released to them by INEC.

According to them, the court should do this since the affected persons have been registered and captured in the defendant’s (INEC) register of voters and electronic database of registered voters.

The suit comes up for hearing on January 5,2023 and promises to provide one of the legal fireworks and controversies as the nation approaches its most dicey elections in 23years of the Nigerian democratic experience.