PHOTOS: Pat Utomi’s group storms INEC HQ, demands PVC distribution to voters

The Big Tent, a group in the Labour Party (LP), embarked on an advocacy walk in the federal capital territory (FCT), to encourage the collection of permanent voters cards (PVCs) by citizens.

Members of the group went on an advocacy walk from Unity Fountain to the INEC headquarters, wearing shirts with the inscription,  ‘Your right to PVC, your right to vote. Some members of the group also held flags of LP.

The peaceful demonstration was led by Pat Utomi, a professor of political economy, and Tanko Yinusa, former national chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP).

Speaking at the INEC headquarters in Abuja, Utomi said the commission should release PVCs to Nigerians who have been successfully registered.

“We are confident that INEC can take us there. If they do one or two things, we believe INEC will take us to the promised land,” the professor said.

On his part, Yinusa said the electoral commission should purge the voters’ register of underage citizens.

“We are here at the INEC HQ, the only umpire that will give us a peaceful election. We are on a peaceful demonstration. We are saying no to underage voting,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of INEC, Kelechi Maduneme, an assistant director, said “a lot of the PVCs have been printed”, adding that citizens can now go to their respective wards and polling units to pick them up.

Here are pictures from the event.