PDP panics over high PVC collection in APC strongholds – Punch newspaper

PDP national chairman, Adamu Mu' azu

There is consternation within the Peoples Democratic Party over the high rate of Permanent Voter Card collection in geopolitical zones considered to be the strongholds of the opposition All Progressives Congress.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, in a document released on Thursday, had said 38,774,391 of 54,341,610 PVCs had been collected by their owners while less than 15,567,219 cards were still with INEC.

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered on Friday that the ruling party was uncomfortable with the high number of registered voters in states where the APC presidential candidate, Maj.Gen Muhammadu Buhari, is believed to be very popular.

The North-West, believed to be a stronghold of the APC, is the zone where the highest number of PVCs has been collected as of January 7, 2015. Voters in the zone collected 12,013,961 PVCs (30.98 per cent); followed by the South-West with 6,270,736 (16.17 per cent); the South-South, 5,756,018 (14.85 per cent); the North-Central, 5,520,001 (14.24 per cent); the North-East, 4,886,499 (12.60 per cent); South-East, 4,886,499 (10.10 per cent); and the Federal Capital Territory, 411,935 (1.06 per cent).

Not less than 59.75 per cent of the PVCs have been collected in the North-West, the North-East and the South-West, where the APC is perceived to be strong.

The figures of Borno State were not made available by INEC as PVCs have not been distributed there.

Our correspondents in the states gathered that senior party officials of the PDP were worried that parts of the country were President Goodluck Jonathan is adjudged to be very popular recorded low numbers. Such areas include the South-East and some South-South states.

A member of the PDP National Working Committee, who pleaded anonymity, said, “We have studied the figures and we are concerned about low figures in places we have been banking on for victory.

“Look at the South-East, parts of the South-South and even Lagos, where we have been banking on to get massive votes. Only 53.98 per cent of the PVCs have been collected in Lagos compared with Kano State, 86.63 per cent. We have directed our members to embark on grass roots campaigns on the collection of PVCs.”

Similarly, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisah Metuh, in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, admitted that the party was unhappy with the disparity in the distribution of the PVCs.

Metuh said, “Our party members have complained that in their strongholds they have not been able to get the PVCs while some places where we are considered to be a little bit weak achieved almost 90 per cent success rate.

“In line with the President’s avowed commitment to free, fair and credible elections, we urge INEC to avail every (eligible) Nigerian the opportunity to vote in next month’s election.

“We as a party stand by what our President said every eligible Nigerian voter should be given the PVC.”

EKITI

In Ekiti State where the governor is a member of the ruling party, the PDP has directed ward chairmen to mobilise their members to collect their PVCs. Only 65.72 per cent of the PVCs have been collected in the state.

The state Chairman, Mr. Idowu Faleye, who spoke with one of our correspondents on Friday, said party members had also been asked to mobilise their supporters to collect their PVCs.

He said, “We are leaving no stone unturned. We have discussed with our ward chairmen to mobilise people to collect their PVCs before the end of the month.”

DELTA

Also in Delta State, another state ruled by the PDP, the party has given marching orders to its ward and local government officers to ensure that more people collect their permanent voter cards.

The order, our correspondent gathered, was sequel to the low collection of PVCs in the state.

The State Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr. Deinghan Macaulay, told one of our correspondents that the party leaders at the grass roots had been asked to mobilise people to collect the PVCs.

“We have given instruction to all the party leaders in the wards and local governments to go out and mobilise the people to collect their PVCs.

“We are taking this as a priority. The party leaders have been given marching orders to move to their wards and get the people to collect their PVCs.

“You know this is a PDP state. The more people that have their PVCs, the more votes the party will get in the elections. Now that INEC has made the cards available, we have to go and collect them,” Macaulay said.

KOGI

Similarly, the Special Adviser to Kogi State Governor, Capt Idris Wada on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Jacob Edi, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents said the PDP had intensified moves on PVC collection.

Edi said, “Kogi is among the states that have an appreciable number of people that collected their PVCs. Kogi is 100 per cent PDP state. There is no party official that has not collected his or her PVC. The governor has met with every sector on the need for them to collect their PVCs. I can assure you that all government officials and appointees have their PVC.”

ENUGU

In Enugu State, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Dr. Okey Eze, said the PDP had also launched a programme to encourage voters to collect their PVCs.

“We have commenced a sensitisation and awareness programme, especially at the grass roots. We are on air – we are urging our people to collect their voter cards.”

He stated that the “frustrations” experienced by voters during the initial attempt to collect the cards was responsible for the seeming apathy towards the collection of the PVCs in the state.

Eze therefore urged the INEC to provide an “enabling environment” for the collection of the cards.

“It was because of the frustration that they had at the onset that some people have not collected their cards,” he said.

CROSS RIVER

In Cross River State, a total of 1,025,760 PVCs were received from INEC for distribution to registered voters in the state. Out of the figure, only 261,416 PVCs had been collected as at September 2014, representing about 60 per cent.

Efforts to speak with PDP officials in Cross River State proved abortive as the key members had travelled to Enugu for the party’s presidential campaign.

However, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Liyel Imoke, Mr. Christian Ita, said the PDP was not resting on its oars in mobilising registered voters in the state to collect their PVCs.

He said, “We had constant publicity and jingles on radio and television advising the electorate to collect their PVCs. The party has taken further steps by directing ward caucus leaders in the 18 local government areas to mount pressure on the electorate to ensure that they get their PVCs. This is addition to those who are PDP members.”

ONDO

Meanwhile, the internal wrangling within the PDP in Ondo State may have negative effects on its ability to shore up the number of Permanent Voter Cards collected by its members in the state.

Although the Governor Olusegun Mimiko-led faction claims that all is well with the party, having got its candidates recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Dr. Olu Ogunye-led faction has distanced itself from any agreement reached by some leaders of the party.

Ogunye, who came on board after Ebenezer Alabi resigned in the heat of the crisis, said PVC collection remained secondary as long as there was internal crisis within the party.

“We have to deal with the problems within the party. It is a crisis. After that, we can begin to talk about other matters,” he said.

Ogunye said the trouble with the party was Mimiko’s alleged refusal to “be a good party man”, vowing that his group was not prepared to campaign for the governor’s presidential candidate.

But the Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, speaking for the other faction of the party, said the party was on top of the situation.

We are not impressed yet — APC

But the APC said it was unimpressed despite the high figures recorded in areas where it is believed to be strong, particularly the North-West.

The National publicity secretary of the party, Mr. Lai Mohammed, said this in response to inquiries by SUNDAY PUNCH.

He explained that in spite of the figures the electoral body churned out, many eligible Nigerians had not collected their PVCs.

Mohammed said, “People have been unable to collect their PVCs. That is the problem we are having. We are not interested in the figures they are churning out.

“I am not impressed one bit about the figures they are publishing. (Many) Nigerians have yet to receive their PVCs. INEC should go back and ensure that every registered voter receives his/her PVC that is what is of paramount importance to us right now.”

Culled from Punch