Residents of Jos in Plateau state have decried the sloppiness experienced during registration for their Permanent Voter Card (PVC).

Following Plateau government’s directive to encourage voters to register for their PVC, residents of the state had trooped out en masse to get involved in the process.

Those interviewed by Peoples Gazette at one of the registration centres of the Independent National Electoral Commission expressed displeasure with INECs’ handling of the process.

Speaking to The Gazette, a state civil servant, who identified himself as Walbe from Kabong, said that at the time he got to the registration centre, INEC officials had not arrived.

He confirmed that people came out in their numbers only to be delayed by staff of the electoral body.

“We were able to organise ourselves and issue out numbers, but before I left the registration centre to handle some other pressing issues. INEC officials had not arrived at the location,” Mr. Walbe said.

“Many people left their jobs to be at Kabong primary school because they want to vote. I left my duty post at Riyom in Jos south, to Jos north just for this process,” he added.

When The Gazette also visited INEC headquarters at Miango Junction, Jos, people looked visibly exhausted and frustrated over the delay in the process.

Another eligible voter, Emmanuel Gotom, said that he had been at the centre since 3:00 a.m., and was unsure if he’d be able to partake in the exercise today.

“There are so many people who have not done this CVR and the registration is very slow. INEC doesn’t have machines. Their personnel are very aggressive, slow and they aren’t cooperating with anyone here,” he said.

Mr Emmanuel who spoke to this paper at 1:05 p.m., added that “The time I came here around 3 am, I was number 440 and so far only about 50 people have registered.”

Corroborating Mr Emmanuel’s story, another eligible voter, Gokir Gotom, said he got to the registration centre at 4:00 a.m. and met a long queue.

“The machines are not working and they are slow. We have been waiting patiently to see what will happen but ideally, the government should have added more machines to various centres, even at churches and mosques,” Mr Gotom said.

He accused INEC officials of foul play, saying, “They are allowing people they know to register before those of us who came early. But they said we should wait and that is what we are doing.”

A student who wanted to speak under anonymity said she got there at 5:00 a.m. and was number 363 on the roster. She said that though numbers were given to people who came to register, INEC officials had failed to follow through with them.

“They only called the first hundred people and that was it. Those of us that were behind, it was like a survival of the fittest,” she said, adding that she struggled to register after they failed to abide by the numbers that were given to people.

“I was able to do mine since they didn’t follow the numbers religiously,” she added.

She also accused INEC officials of favouring people they know, especially those who came late and had security details attached to them.

A businessman who also wanted to speak under anonymity said he left his family and business to exercise his rights only to be met with difficulties. Sounding audibly frustrated, he said if after tomorrow he’s not able to succeed, he will give up.

An INEC official who spoke with The Gazette on condition of anonymity, attributed the delay to the large crowd that turned out on the first day of the public holiday.

“As staff of the Commission, we observed that this exercise started last year, and we didn’t even see up to 20 people a day. Now because it is ending, look at the crowd we’re seeing.

“We’re having issues controlling the crowd. There are also challenges of misspelling of names, selection of polling units. All these pose a challenge to the process.”

Countering claims that the machines were faulty, he said that the machines were “functional and running smoothly,” and accused the people of trying to jump the queue.