SUNDAY PUNCH gathered on Friday that the ruling party was uncomfortable with the high number of registered voters in states where the APC presidential candidate, Maj.Gen Muhammadu Buhari, is believed to be very popular.
The North-West, believed to be a stronghold of the APC, is the zone where the highest number of PVCs has been collected as of January 7, 2015. Voters in the zone collected 12,013,961 PVCs (30.98 per cent); followed by the South-West with 6,270,736 (16.17 per cent); the South-South, 5,756,018 (14.85 per cent); the North-Central, 5,520,001 (14.24 per cent); the North-East, 4,886,499 (12.60 per cent); South-East, 4,886,499 (10.10 per cent); and the Federal Capital Territory, 411,935 (1.06 per cent).
Not less than 59.75 per cent of the PVCs have been collected in the North-West, the North-East and the South-West, where the APC is perceived to be strong.
Our correspondents in the states gathered that senior party officials of the PDP were worried that parts of the country were President Goodluck Jonathan is adjudged to be very popular recorded low numbers. Such areas include the South-East and some South-South states.
A member of the PDP National Working Committee, who pleaded anonymity, said, “We have studied the figures and we are concerned about low figures in places we have been banking on for victory.
“Look at the South-East, parts of the South-South and even Lagos, where we have been banking on to get massive votes. Only 53.98 per cent of the PVCs have been collected in Lagos compared with Kano State, 86.63 per cent. We have directed our members to embark on grass roots campaigns on the collection of PVCs.”
Similarly, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisah Metuh, in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, admitted that the party was unhappy with the disparity in the distribution of the PVCs.
Metuh said, “Our party members have complained that in their strongholds they have not been able to get the PVCs while some places where we are considered to be a little bit weak achieved almost 90 per cent success rate.
“In line with the President’s avowed commitment to free, fair and credible elections, we urge INEC to avail every (eligible) Nigerian the opportunity to vote in next month’s election.
“We as a party stand by what our President said every eligible Nigerian voter should be given the PVC.”
