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Raymond Ozoji, Awka
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it will not defend any of its officials asking eligible voters to pay money before they can register and obtain their permanent voter cards.
Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra state Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji made the statement at a stakeholders meeting comprising the media, the civil society organisations, joint association of persons living with disabilities and a host of others in Awka.
Orji explained that the exercise was free of any cost and that voters should not be intimidated nor coerced into paying money in the course of registration.
He observed that people tended to be more interested in chasing money thereby placing less premium on the on-going voter registration exercise. He added that only a few had registered so far, noting that there seemed to be voter apathy in the state.
The resident electoral commissioner therefore prevailed on security agencies to help the commission monitor its officials at registration points across to apprehend officials involved in sharp practices.
He said also that the commission was working with the National Orientation Agency to educate the electorate on the need to register and obtain their permanent voter cards to enable them to exercise their political rights in the forthcoming general elections.
Orji further revealed that the commission was working on developing what he called inclusivity policy to accommodate every strata of the society while informing also that the commission plans to reconstruct its burnt office in Ihiala local government as a result of political brigandage.
He therefore urged eligible voters in Anambra to avail themselves of the registration and data-capturing exercise so they could obtain their PVCs.
