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INEC takes voter education, PVC collection to churches in Kwara
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kwara, Malam Garba Attahiru-Madami on Sunday visited some churches in Ilorin to sensitise the people of the state on the coming general elections and collection of the Permanent Voter Card (PVC).
At the Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, Asa Dam, Ilorin, the REC told the congregation of the need to collect their PVCs to enable them exercise their civic responsibility during the election.
He called on Christians to pray for the success of the elections and for God to take absolute control of the elections in Kwara and Nigeria.
The REC urged the people of the state to collect their PVC before the February 8, 2019 deadline for the PVC collection.
According to him, after the deadline for collection, all uncollected PVCs would be taking to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for safe keeping.
“My goal for Kwara is to conduct the best election in this country; I want Kwara to be a reference point for credible, fair, free and acceptable election.
“Christian community should be part of history that makes Kwara election the best in the country.
“We should all pray to God Almighty for direction, protection of lives, and special prayers for peaceful conduct of the election,” Attahiru-Madami added.
“On my part, I am saying it again that INEC will conduct free, fair, credible and acceptable election that will be applauded by international community,” the REC said.
At the Bishop Smith Memorial Anglican Church, Ilorin, Attahiru-Madami told the congregation that security of lives and property were assured on election days.
He appealed to voters to massively come out on Election Day to vote for candidates of their choice, adding that their PVC is their weapon to elect leaders they want.
The REC advised the congregation to thumb print well while voting and vote their ballot paper well before dropping it into the ballot box that would be placed closed to the voting cubicle.
He said INEC has device ways to prevent vote buying at polling units on the day of election.
Attahiru-Madami said telephone would not be allowed into the polling units to discourage voters from taking picture of thumb printed ballot paper for them to collect money from politicians.
He also said that ballot boxes are now very close to voting cubicles while thumb printed ballot papers would be folded before dropping inside the box.
The REC therefore appealed to women to prevail on their children and wards not to be used as political thugs during the elections.
He appealed to Christians not to sell their PVCs for any amount because of the future of their children.
“Your PVC is your power to elect leaders of your choice that will deliver dividends of democracy.
“If you sell your PVC and the wrong persons are elected; you will suffer it for four years,” the REC said.
The Bishop-elect of the Church, Ven Oluwaseun Aderogba commended the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the sensitisation.
He said the Christian community has been sensitising its members on what is expected of them during elections.
Ven Aderogba told the REC that the church in partnership with Community Life Project has printed flyers and handbills on the election procedures.
He prayed that God Almighty would take control of the situation on election days so that the 2019 elections would be peaceful and violence free.
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