I Went To INEC Office. You Should Too

Entrance to the INEC office. Locked in the early morning

I’m on leave this week. My routine has consisted of waking up, eating, and going to the gym. To spend it productively, l decided to use this week to pay a visit to the Independent Electoral Commission’s (INEC) office to recover my lost voter’s card.

The first day I tried, I had woken up for a few minutes after 9 AM. The weather is cold, you can’t blame me. I had planned the day earlier; however, Ifeanyi, who you should by now be familiar with, and the rain delayed me. We got to the INEC office a few minutes past 1 PM. The piece of paper was already full of names. They’re not taking new applications. We turned back home.

The next day, Thursday, l made up my mind to go again, this time, early. I woke up at 5 AM. Ngl, l slept back because the sleep was too good. I woke again by 6 AM, prepared, and by some minutes to 7 AM, l was on my way. I got there some minutes past 7 AM, and my genius idea of arriving early, there was already a woman there. I was shocked for a second because does it mean she didn’t sleep at home, and I don’t want to think she’s not from a happy home, or worse still, loved at home, but well, I understand, we are striving to vote out the demonic APC.

The gate to the INEC building was opened by 8 AM. They did their morning rituals, and then chaos started. Chaos is easy to start.

An official said that they will start attending to applicants from yesterday’s list. The people who came early today objected to it in a loud voice.

The official maintained that the people in the list were the last to leave with them, hence, courtesy demands that they start with them. While the shout continued, another official came out to know what the noise was about. Hearing the objection, she said the Nigerian statement that you must have heard from civil servants, “Do you want to teach me my job?”

Well, the stalemate was settled by the first official calling some names from the list from yesterday, and then some from today’s list. I was the second person on the list. We went into the building and were ushered to a seat, scratch that, polling basin. Apparently, there’s no seat, so we sit on polling basins.

A seat in the INEC office

The officials started attending to us when we got to the inner office, where the registrations were to be done, and another chaos started.

What was the cause? Two ladies had arrived after their names were called from the list from yesterday, and wanted to be attended to as per their status from yesterday. People who came today objected to it, and another round of shouting started, and another man came to settle it. He stated that they will be attended to because they were applicants from yesterday. To seal their case, one of the ladies gave the officials her power bank as there was no power supply in the office. After they’d attended, the line started moving. When it got to this writer’s turn, the officials announced they were facing internet connectivity issues.

To recover my lost card, l will redo a part of the registration, which is mainly biometrics and my picture captured. I lost the number of times l smiled to the camera.

I was done by some minutes past 10 AM. I will collect the new card by August.

A biometrics machine for the registration

If you haven’t done yours, go early to the nearest INEC office in your area and get yours. The process ends on July 10th.

If you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain.

I’m not here to tell you to vote wisely in 2027. I’m voting for Peter Obi of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Young people are getting their PVC. Go get yours.

You should, too. He’s the best candidate and the best person to take us out of this quagmire.