As the Federal High Court, Abuja rules earlier today, Thursday that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC should allow the use of Temporary Voter Cards, TVCs in the March 18 governorship and State Assembly elections, the Commission insist that the status quo must be maintained.
The Commission which made this declaration, disclosed that it’s yet to receive the Certified True Copy, CTC of the of the Federal High Court mandating it to act otherwise.
INEC posited that the Court ruling clearly contravened the Electoral Act 2023 as amended, which stipulates that only voters with Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs would be allowed to vote in the elections.
But Justice Obiora Egwuatu who gave the order while delivering judgement in a suit filed by two aggrieved Nigerians, names withheld, seeking the use of TVCs in the general elections in the absence of the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs.
Justice Egwuatu averred that the order was made on the grounds that the plaintiffs were duly registered and captured in the INEC data base.
“An order is made compelling the defendant, INEC to allow the plaintiffs to vote using their Temporary Voter Cards issued by the defendant, the plaintiffs having duly captured in the National Register of Voter’s database.
” A declaration is made by this Court that the plaintiffs, having fulfilled all necessary legal requirements to register and having consequently been captured in the defendant’s (INEC) Central database and manual, printed paper based record or hard copy format of the defendant’s maintained Register of Voters, the plaintiffs are entitled to vote, using their Temporary Voter Cards, TVCs in the forthcoming 2023 General Elections,” Justice Egwuatu declares with a tone of finality.
