The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has rejected the statement credited to the state government that that people without voter cards can vote with driver’s licence or national identity card in the December 7 local government election.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jackson Abebayo, the opposition party said the ‘obnoxious steps’ being canvassed by the government explicitly contravened relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution and the country’s Electoral Act, 2010.
Adebayo noted that any strange guideline or law made by the state government, through the State Independent Electoral Commission, (EKSIEC), that runs contrary to the Constitution and the Electoral Act would be “vehemently resisted by the party”.
The Commissioner for Information and Values Orientation, Chief Muyiwa Olumilua, had on Wednesday said that residents without voter cards would be allowed to vote during the exercise, as long as they possess either the National Identity Card or Drivers Licence.
Olumilua, who doubles as the Chairman of the Election Sensitisation Committee, set up by the state government, spoke while rounding off the committee’s visit to the 16 local governments.
According to him, affected people must, however, be those who had earlier registered as voters with INEC, but lost their voter card, due to one circumstance or the other.
He, however, noted that those category of people to be allowed to vote, must have seen their names displayed on the INEC voters’ register at every polling centre, adding: “ It will also be at the discretion of electoral officers manning the poll, to either allow them to vote or not”.
Adebayo, however, said the ‘reckless policy statement’ obviously depicted that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was jittery of the looming electoral misfortune.