Breaking News: House Of Representatives Ask INEC To Use TVC.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to allow eligible voters with Temporary Voter‎ Cards to vote during the general elections in February.

It said in a resolution it passed in Abuja that it was unlikely that INEC‎ would give every eligible voter the Permanent Voter Card before the elections.

Lawmakers held the position that allowing the use of the TVCs along with the PVCs was the only way not to deny many Nigerians their right to vote.

The decision, which received unanimous approval of members, was one of the key resolutions the House passed as lawmakers reconvened on Tuesday from their Christmas and New Year break.

In another resolution, the House ordered an investigation into the recent allegation by the Department of State Service that the All Progressives Congress planned to hack into the database of INEC.

The motions on the two issues were moved by the Minority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, and Deputy House Majority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, respectively.

Defending the motion on TVCs, Gbajabiamila, an APC lawmaker from Lagos State, noted that if INEC insisted on using the PVCs, many eligible voters would be disenfranchised.

Members immediately endorsed the motion without allowing further debate and asked INEC to make provisions for the use of TVCs in its guidelines for the elections.

Part of Gbajabiamila’s motion reads, “‎INEC has been and is still issuing permanent voter cards to eligible voters in replacement of the temporary voter cards issued to Nigerians about four years ago.

“Concerned that the general elections being just four weeks or 31 days from now, it is very unlikely that the commission will be able to distribute the PVCs to all registered and eligible voters before the elections.
“Disturbed that if the current position of the commission (that only voters with the PVCs are qualified to vote) is not addressed, many registered and eligible voters will be disenfranchised in the 2015 general elections to the detriment of the growth of democracy in Nigeria.
“The House resolves that the commission should include in its election guidelines for the 2015 general elections, a provision(s) allowing registered voters with the temporary voter card (TVCs) whose names are on record to vote during the 2015 general elections.”

Commenting on resolution of the House, the Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, observed that it was the responsibility of INEC to give all eligible voters a PVC.

 

However, he said if the same INEC was unable to do so, it should not punish the voter with a TVC by denying them voting rights.

Source:Punch Newspaper