2023: INEC Warns Parties To Focus On Issue-Based Campaigns

Alhaji Yahaya Bello with other officials.

By Sunday Gbegbe, Abuja 

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has warned the political parties to present Manifestos, sell their ideas to the people and focus on issues based campaigns during and before 2023 General election. 

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner FCT, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, gave the charge during a news briefing in Abuja. 

Alhaji Bello reassured the political parties and the electorates that their votes will surely count and winners will be declared after elections.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner explained that in line with the electoral law, section 19 (1) 2022 of the electoral act 2022 provides that INEC displays the preliminary register of voters for public scrutiny at every registration areas, local government area offices and the commission website. 

He said the commission had approved Collection of the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) which will commence on Monday, 12th December, 2022 to Sunday 22nd January,  2023 and the exercise will be done at the six Areas council of INEC offices in FCT,  AMAC, Karu, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Bwari, Abaji, and Kwali. 

Alhaji Yahaya Bello called on the people of FCT to come out enmass to collect their PVCs  from Monday, 12th December, 2022 to Sunday, 22nd January, 2023, and opens from 9.00am to 3.00pm daily.

He explained that those who are unable to collect their PVCs at the RAs/Wards during that time can do so at the Area Councils from 15th January 2023 to  22nd January, 2023 Saturday and Sunday week day in Six Area councils. 

"There will be display of names in the registration centres, which will be made available to check if your name is there , there will also be help line of INEC FCT, where people can complain if there is case of missing names in the list". 

“The Commission commenced the nationwide display of Preliminary register of voters PRV on the 12th November, 2022 and the exercise took place in the six Area Councils in FCT; Display of PRV was successful, the hearing for claims was equally successfully done across the six Area Councils", the REC noted.

He advised that nobody should try to collect PVCs for anyone because the security agencies are going to be available all through the exercise to ensure orderliness during the period at the collection Centre, Wards and local government areas offices in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. 

Our Correspondent reports that FCT has Six Area Councils, Sixty-Two (62) Wards, Fourteen (14) registered Political parties and 1, 373, 492 Registered Voters in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.