With less than two weeks to the commencement of the 2019 polls, Nigeria’s main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the time for the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) by three days.

The PDP in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan said the demand is predicated on reports across the nation that some compromised INEC officials at the collection centres were deliberately refusing to issue the PVCs to voters.

The party maintained that this deliberate refusal to release the PVCs was part of the wider plot by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to disenfranchise millions of Nigerians and frustrate their eagerness to vote out President Muhammadu Buhari and elect its candidate, Atiku Abubakar at the February 16 presidential election. 

The PDP also demanded an explanation from the electoral umpire on why it turned back registered voters who went to collect their PVCs and directing them to come at a later date for an exercise which has been programmed to end on Friday.

The statement read in part: “Information available to us shows that the APC has plans to use the uncollected PVCs to allocate votes to President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The PDP therefore calls on the leadership of INEC not to plunge the election into a needless controversy but to redeem itself by extending the closing date for the collection of the PVCs by three days.”