The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says it would not allow voters with temporary voter cards to vote in the governorship and national assembly elections billed for Saturday, March 18.
Accordingly, INEC, through a team of Lawyers led by Taminu Inuwa has filed an Appeal at the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, praying it to set aside the judgment that ordered the use of the Temporary Voter Cards (TVC) to vote.
INEC, in its three grounds of appeal, maintained that the Federal High Court in Abuja erred in its judgement, when it dismissed its position that allowing use of the TVC would amount to usurpation of the powers of the national assembly under item ii of the concurrent legislative list.
According to INEC, “by combined provision of Section 47 (1) & (2) of the Electoral Act 2022 and Paragraph 5(IV) of INEC Regulations & Guidelines for the conduct of elections 2022, a person is eligible to vote at an election conducted by the Commission, if he or she presents a valid PVC at the polling unit in which he is registered as a voter”.
It further argued that by virtue of section 18(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, “the intention of the lawmakers is clear for the effect that a PVC is the only valid instrument for voter accreditation at polling units with the use of BVAS machines in elections”.
“The whole essence of the Manual & Guidelines was defeated by the decision of the trial court when it embarked on judicial legislation and jettisoned the relevance and import of the said Manual & Guidelines which prescribed in detail, accreditation and voting procedure with the exclusive use of PVCs”, INEC added.
