The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Sokoto has
cautioned voters in the state against selling their permanent voter
cards (PVCs) to unscrupulous persons.
The Head of Voter Education
and Publicity of the commission, Alhaji Muhammad Musa, gave the advice
in Sokoto on Monday in an interview with NAN.
Musa was reacting to
recent allegations by a member of the state House of Assembly, Alhaji
Malami Galadanchi (APC-Sokoto North 1) that some unpatriotic individuals
were buying the PVCs.
Galadanchi had told newsmen in Sokoto on
Sunday that some unscrupulous politicians were allegedly buying the
cards from some registered voters in the state at the rate of N2,000.
The
lawmaker also alleged that those “heinous” people were reportedly
photographing the unsuspecting prospective voters with promises of
donating
either a motorcycle or tricycle (KEKE NAPEP).
However,
reacting to the development, Musa warned: “Let everybody know that it
is illegal to sell off voter cards, while the offence is punishable
under the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended)”.
The INEC official explained that such bought PVCs would not be useful on the actual election days.
“This
is because card readers will be used during the polls while the
permanent voter cards are containing only the biometric data of the
original owner, the registered voter.
“If the allegations or
insinuations are true, those unpatriotic persons are nursing some
sinister motives against the 2015 general elections and they will not
succeed,” he said.
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