YOUR PVC IS YOUR TICKET FOR A BETTER NIGERIA – GRV

…Extolls INECs virtues for prompt response to situations
…Call your supporters to order, Ekong warns APC

The Lagos State gubernatorial candidate of Labour Party, Arch. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour has called on well-meaning Nigerians to explore every available opportunity to get their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).
Vivour made this clarion call in Lagos on Wednesday 25th January, 2023 while addressing newsmen on the issues and challenges of collection of PVC in the state. The architect-turned politician enjoined Nigerians who are yearning for a better society and change of leadership to ensure they get their PVCs and vote the Labour Party on the 25th of February and 11 of March for new Nigeria.
He said it became expedient for Labour Party to address some of the unverified issues flying around the media space, especially as it concerns the PVC and INEC.
Firstly, Gbedebo said the leadership of the party in the state put a call across to the state Resident Electoral Commissioner and subsequently paid him a visit yesterday to clarify issues.
Gbadebo who was convinced beyond reasonable doubt, seized the occasion of the press briefing to dispel the remours that went round on the viral videos of INEC officials copying out numbers and names from PVCs to discriminate against some members of the public.
According to him, the state’s REC explained that those PVCs has been printed since 2011, that what they were doing was to take down the codes and sent to their headquarters so that they can send SMS to the owners to get them informed of the availability of their PVCs and possible pickups. He said that the INEC position was investigated and found to be true.
He further said that there were insinuations that the APC were in connivance of some INEC staff in certain words and centres to separate the names and voters’ cards of persons that they presumed would not vote for their party, especially in Surulere, confirming the INEC staff there has since been replaced and normalcy returned upon their complaint.
The LP guber candidate opined that most voters who might not get their PVCs were as a result of discrepancies in the registration, citing that according to the State REC, most of them had registered previously in other centres, zones or states as the case may be but instead of applying for transfer went ahead to reregister meaning they would have done double or multiple registrations.
He said according to information from INEC, there were about 400,000 PVCs transferred to Lagos State and another 500,000 fresh registration and out of this figure, 600,000 PVCs has already been collected in the state in this ongoing exercise.
“For those who followed due process during their registrations but are yet to receive their PVCs, the good news here is that 30,000 PVCs came into Lagos this week, so people can go back to their local government areas to check again to ensure they get their voters’ cards”. He said.
“Another issue worthy of sensitizing the society on after our meeting with the INEC is that with the BIVAS system, there’s no way this election will be rigged. INEC will be orgazing a mock election on how it works in six local government areas in the state, two from each senatorial district for the public to have a look and knowledge of how the BIVAS works. The dates will be announced in due time”, he said.
He applauded INEC on their resolve to organize free, fair and credible election and their premium attention to security concerns before, during and even after the election.
Gbadebo reiterated that both him, the state Excos and entire Labour Party supporters in Lagos State are working very hard to deliver His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come February 25th this year.
The state chairperson of LP, Pastor Dayo Ekong who was also present at the briefing vehemently frowned at the incessant harassment and intimidation of members of Labour Party by agents of the ruling party in the state.
Ekong called on security Police authority and other security agencies in the state to rise to the occasion especially at this election period to nip this ugly trend of harassing members of her party in the bud.
“We will no long fold our hands and watch members of Labour Party unduly harassed, intimidated and brutalized in Lagos State, we are all citizens of this country and so deserves protection from the law enforcement agencies as we go about our lawful businesses within the state.
“Recall that few months back our Flag boy was brutalized and almost burnt alive in Oshodi, few weeks back, our Woman Leader was attacked in Ikorodu and the most disturbing is our member who was macheted in his forehead and left for dead while pasting Labour Party posters in Ojo area of the state. All of these incidents were reported to the police and so far nobody has been arrested or questioned for these criminalities.
“I therefore call on the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State and the entire security agencies to rise to the occasion of protecting every single lives in the state, nay the country”, Ekong said.
The party also encouraged her members not to be intimidated by the harassments while advocating that her members should avoid going along during campaign activities and can call police help lines 08065154333 or 08063299264 during emergency situations, while equally releasing a help line for PVC collections 08023163031.