INEC Sued over Missing PVCs in Lagos

Permanent Voters’ Cards

A Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed March 16 for hearing in a suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over missing the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in parts of Lagos State.
The suit arose from allegations that PVCs of several registered voters were not produced, their data having been allegedly wiped off INEC’s database.

This is said to be the fate of many registered voters.

In the suit marked FHC/L/CS/179/2015 brought under Sections 9(1), 12(1) and 16(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 by three lawyers, Chijioke Emeka, Kalu Uduma and Emeka Odikpo, are seeking the determination of four questions and five reliefs from the court.

INEC is named as the only defendant in the suit.

The plaintiffs, are among other things, seeking an order directing INEC to issue them with PVCs based on their temporary voter’s cards attached as Exhibits 1, 2 and 3 in the suit, to enable them vote.

The plaintiffs averred that they do not have any common political interest, do not seek postponement of the election or an injunction against the holding of the election as scheduled.

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Auta, had since assigned the suit to Justice Ibrahim Buba.

The judge while ruling on a motion ex parte argued by counsel to the plaintiff, Chijioke Emeka, seeking several reliefs, ordered that INEC be served in Abuja. He also abridged the timelines in the suit and ordered its accelerated hearing.