By Onochie Anibeze

Did I really say that? Frustration is not good. It could provoke anger and consequently regrettable actions.

Last Sunday, January 8, 2023, I got to the point of frustration and was on the edge of violence as I waited hours to collect my Permanent Voter’s Card, PVC at the centre designated by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

“Editor, be ready to take care of my family when I go to jail because of I may do to any INEC official,” I bitterly complained to Eze Ananba, editor, Vanguard in a telephone call as I left Ajumoni Senior Grammar School, Isolo without collecting my PVC after waiting for hours.

I was not alone. I had arrived the centre 6.30 am that Sunday and was registered as number 125. There were many others, perhaps up to 400 also hanging around.

Some came as early 5 am. The line grew and people were asked to write down their names and take numbers. At 1 pm, it was clear I wouldn’t be attended to.

The INEC officials arrived at about 9.45 am and were even slow setting up.

They didn’t have enough staff to deal with the crowd at the centre. It was frustration galore.

Before my Sunday adventure I had the previous Wednesday, January 4, 2023 gone to Oshodi Local Government as directed by INEC being the LGA headquarters for the collection of the card.

That’s more than 12 kilometres from my residence, a journey that could turn into hours in the unpredictable Lagos traffic. That journey produced nothing as I could not get my PVC.

The crowd simply overwhelmed INEC officials. The announcement that the cards would be sent to the wards from Friday, January 6, was a relief. But Isolo where we went appeared more rowdy than Oshodi. Another frustration.

However, another relief came. Collection centres would be spread further. My centre turned out to be Ajumoni school.

By last Sunday after three trips to three different collection centres without my PVC anger took the better of me. If you knew the stress rushing to collection centre on a Sunday without success you would appreciate the mood that made me voice out that anger.

Dr. Dele Sobawale, in his 2023 projections published here on the eve of the New Year had written that INEC was not as prepared as it claimed and doubted if the 2023 elections would be credible.

There have been reports of PVCs discovered in gutters, uncompleted buildings, bushes; reports of some politicians pulling strings to deny their opponents votes in areas they have comparative advantage by denying them their PVCs.

I don’t want to delve into all that but only on my personal experience on PVC collection.

And based on what I went through without success I fear if these elections will be free, fair and credible. If collection of PVCs could be this difficult what will happen during the election proper?

There are talks that disfranchising some people by denying them their PVCs was deliberate. Why would a person like me not believe that especially when there are reports of easy collection in some other areas? My personal experience is a sad commentary on INEC.

There have been reports of people bribing to collect their PVCs. Shame. I now know where the blame lies when they talk about uncollected PVCs. Should Nigerians suffer to collect their PVCs? In all my visits to the different centres I was moved by the determination of the people to perform their civil duties.

It has never been so in Nigeria. My fear now is that this INEC may fail them. Arise News Thursday aired a video showing protests against INEC’s poor distribution of PVCs in Edo and Lagos.

Terrible. I now have a good reason not to believe in this INEC even with the extension of date for PVC collection. Let them prove me wrong with a credible election. I pray they do so.

Culled from Vanguard