According to a report from the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), The Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) that millions of Northerners have earned are being sold to politicians for less.
In a statement released yesterday, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Director of Publicity and Advocacy for NEF, claimed that the electorate, particularly women, were being duped into selling their PVCs for less than N2,000. He described this as a scheme to deny some Nigerians in the North the right to vote.
Prior to the elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) claimed that politicians were purchasing PVCs from registered voters in order to collect their Voter Identification Numbers (VIN).
NEF said irrespective of which party or candidate they support, northerners must vote in next year’s election, as “this is the only way our region can reverse its current fortunes and circumstances.”
“Northern Elders Forum (NEF) had followed this worrying phenomenon, advising community leaders and major stakeholders on the dangers of disenfranchising large numbers of citizens. We have also undertaken our own investigations, which prompted this public warning.
“Thousands, or possibly even millions of northern voters, particularly women, are being made to surrender their PVCs for a pittance, in most instances not more than N2000.
“In some instances, they are told their cards will be returned to them after they are processed for additional payments as poverty relief. No cards are returned.
“Our investigations suggest that this is an aggressive and blatant voter suppression attempt to reduce the voting power of the North.”
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