By Ikenna Asomba

AS the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Friday, begins the distribution of Permanent Voters Card, PVC, in Lagos, the State Police Command, has issued a red alert to its operatives across the state to checkmate the activities of criminal elements indulging in the collection of the INEC temporary voters cards from unsuspecting residents, on the pretext of promising to help them (residents) obtain their PVCs without hitches.

This red alert came following the arrest of a suspect (name withheld), Weekend, for allegedly collecting INEC temporary voters cards from some unsuspecting residents at the Igoke Ward B area of Agbado Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of the state.

It was reported that the suspect who claimed to be an INEC official, was collecting the temporary voters cards from the residents on the pretext that he would assist them in obtaining the Permanent Voters Cards, when distribution commences November 7 to 9.

Vanguard gathered that the suspect who was first interrogated at the Oke-Odo Police Station before being transferred to the State CID Panti, was caught with over 100 Temporary Voters Cards and INEC forms which he collected from residents.

FILE PHOTO: Voters going through the voters list at Ward 5 unit 1 Ijebu, Owo. Photo: Dare Fasube

The arrest was also said to have been made possible through the vigilance of one of the residents of the area, who observed many people milling round the suspect, thereafter confronted him and subsequently raised an alarm. Realizing that the game was up, the suspect claimed to be an INEC official but when asked to produce his Identity Card, he could not.

The suspect reportedly confessed at the Oke Odo Police Station that he was sent alongside some other people on a special assignment of collecting the Temporary Voters’ Cards of residents by a chieftain of the major opposition party in the State in the Ward M1 Ajape area of Agbado Oke Odo LCDA.

Investigations ongoing

Speaking to Vanguard, Sunday, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO of the Lagos State Police Command, Kenneth Nwosu, who stated that investigations were still ongoing, however, warned other persons with the intention of repeating the criminal act to steer clear of the state, as the Command has issued a red alert to its operatives. When asked on the latest development about the arrest, Nwosu said: “Yes, investigation is still ongoing on the man who allegedly went about collecting the INEC temporary voters cards from some unsuspecting residents at the Igoke Ward B area of Agbado Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of the state. We have warned criminal elements intending to carry-out a repeat of such act to steer clear of the state, because our operatives have been put on red alert to forestall any future occurrence.”

The police spokesperson added that “Our job as the police is to ensure that there is sanctity in the state, to discourage people from perpetrating electoral malpractices or even threaten the peace currently being enjoyed in the state.”

Blame game: Meanwhile, as investigation is ongoing, members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, have alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may not be unaware of illegal act to perpetrate electoral malpractices in the forthcoming elections in the state.

Speaking on the incident, member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, LAHA, representing Ifako Ijaiye Constituency 1, Hon. Dayo Fafunmi, described the act as illegal and must be condemned outrightly. He said: “Every eligible Lagosian must see the collection of the Permanent Voters Card, as their civic rights and responsibilities.

Civic rights and responsibilities

Your vote gives you the power of whom to vote for, so, why do you want to surrender that power? In this vein, people who go about buying or collecting people’s voters cards must be condemned. It is a way of disenfranchising the people they collect the voters cards from and also a way of perpetrating corruption and electoral malpractices.”

Speaking further, Fafunmi warned residents in the state never to succumb to selling their temporary or even permanent voters cards to fraudsters saying, “As the 2015 election draws near, Lagosians must be wary of fraudsters who come in various guises. They should never sell their temporary voters cards or even their permanent voters cards when they get them.

“However, on the recent incident, it is too early to point accusing fingers at the opposition. But one thing I am sure of is no matter the amount of voters cards they buy, they can never win any local government in Lagos during next year’s elections.”

Dangerous trend

Similarly, member representing Alimosho Constituency 1, at LAHA, Hon. Bisi Yussuf, had earlier described the incident as a case of serious fraud especially against the background that INEC has not even started the distribution of the PVC in Lagos.

Yussuf had said that the lesson to be learnt is that everyone has to be vigilant as the election approaches, adding that it is very clear that for parties that are not popular and cannot mobilize they may resort to manipulation which would not be allowed.

He added that the case portends a very dangerous trend which could derail the nation’s democracy and wondered why a party would send agents out to coerce people to surrender their temporary voters cards’, adding that it could be an indicator of what is happening in several parts of the State and the country in general.

Meanwhile, efforts to get the Spokesman of the Lagos State chapter of the PDP, Mr. Taofeek Gani to react to the incident at press time proved futile, as calls made to his phones were not connecting.