Elections update: Police arrest man with snatched 300 PVC, others in Ebonyi

A middle aged man, Ozemena Odeta among others have been arrested at Ekawoke Ward in Ikwo local government area of the state while distributing Permanent Voters Cards, PVC allegedly snatched from Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC staff during the last distribution exercise in the area. Addressing newsmen immediately after his accreditation, the state Deputy Coordinator, Goodluck/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organization, Ambassador Franklin Ogbuewu stated that the suspect disappeared from the community after stealing the cards but resurfaced during the election. He noted that the suspect was arrested by the police when he was allegedly distributing the PVC to voters who agreed to vote the candidate of his choice. According to Ogbuewu, the reports reaching him from different parts of the state has it that the Card Reader failed to authenticate most voters. “I want to inform you that the person that snatched about 300 PVCs from INEC staff during the last distribution exercise has been arrested by the police; you see immediately after the theft, the guy disappeared from the community but resurfaced during the election”. A police source which further confirmed the development added that the police in the area had commenced investigation into the matter to ascertain the involvement of any other suspects Meanwhile The chairman Peoples Democratic Party Taraba state chapter Hon. Victor Bala Kona and 700 others were denied been participated in the presidential and National Assembly election. Victor Bala and the 700 others were denied participation in the election by INEC for not having their names on the voters register even though they were with their PVCs. The Electoral officer of Ardo-Kola local government area, where Victor Bala and the 700 others came from, Mallam Garba Inua confirmed the incident, he also said the hitches occured in three other polling units of the local government. Bala Kona while briefing journalist at his house in Sunkani said he was protesting along side the 700 others for been disfranchised by INEC in an election that matters so much to Nigeria. He stated that after visiting INEC office in Ardo-Kola he also proceeded to Jalingo the state capital to meet with the INEC resident commissioner to register his protest. “I went to REC at Jalingo office of INEC and he has taken the responsibility because there it was confirmed that my PVC is INEC own” “I have to rush back home and calm the situation here because the tension was getting tensed up” “Am disappointed and my people are disappointed with the way we were denied of our civil responsibility” He call on the INEC to find a way for giving him and the 700 others who he claimed they were his relatives to vote for the elections.