INEC Takes Action On Ruling To Allow Nigerians To Vote Without PVCs

The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has vowed to appeal the court ruling which ordered the commission to allow the use of Temporary Voter Cards (TVCs) in the forthcoming governorship and state assembly elections.

Naija News recalls that one Kofoworola Olusegun and Wilson Allwell, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/180/2023 and filed on February 8, had challenged INEC on the position that only Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) can be used in an election.

But in a ruling on Thursday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the electoral body to allow the use of TVC in the March 18 gubernatorial election.

The presiding judge gave the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by two Nigerians seeking the use of TVCs in the general elections when PVCs are not available.

According to the judge, the order was given under the premise that the plaintiffs were duly registered and captured in INEC’s database before the commencement of the general election.

Reacting in a statement on Thursday, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the commission would appeal the judgement.

Oyekanmi stated that the Commission is taking immediate steps to appeal against the court ruling.

He said: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been served a copy of the judgement delivered today by the Federal High Court, Abuja Division which ordered it to allow two Plaintiffs to vote with their Temporary Voter’s Card (TVC).

“The Commission is taking immediate steps to appeal against the judgement of the trial court.”