Mutiu Agboke, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, says over 700,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) are awaiting collection in the commission’s office.
“We have over 700,000 PVCs uncollected in Oyo State; let people come and collect them.”
Agboke, who disclosed this at a programme organised by Political Awareness Group (PAG), an association of Muslim professionals and technocrats in Nigeria, said no one will win in Oyo State except the people vote such a person in.
“I will not be the one to conduct the 2023 elections. I am leaving in July. In the next two weeks. We should sensitise people. I can tell you confidently that no one will win in Oyo State except the people vote for you.
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At the meeting were Aare Musulumi of Yoruba land, Edo and Delta States, Daud Akinola Makanjuola, who was represented by Kazeem Eleta, director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) Isiaq Akintola, APC senatorial candidate in Oyo Central district, Yunus Aknitunde, PAG chairman, Abdulwaheed Olowonjaye, among others.
The REC while responding to an allegation raised by Akintola that some Muslims were being denied the right to register for PVC in some South-western states due to hijab and cap, said there was no policy of INEC that prevents anyone from registering for PVC because of hijab.
“Muslims should come out and exercise their civic right. We have not announced officially the closure of registration. It currently ends on June 30 but from Nigerian’s yearnings, we might extend it.
“On the issue of niqob and hijab, there is no INEC policy that disqualifies anyone from the registration because of niqob or hijab.
According to him, if you are a Muslim woman under this category, none of INEC staff would disallow you from registration because it is either your face is taken or your biometrics even though it has implications during the election.
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