The Chairman of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), Babatunde Osibdu, has clarified that the use of alternative identification cards such as driving license, international passport as well as government issued staff identification cards would not help in multiple voting in local government elections.

Osibdu stated this during a media engagement with newspapers at the Commission headquarters in Abeokuta on Friday.

He explained that these alternative means of identification will only serve as verification and identification tools for people who have lost or misplaced their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), but whose names have been published in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Electoral Register ).

The President of OGSIEC emphasized that accepting other means of valid identification means preventing people from offering excuses and encouraging them to exercise their civic responsibility.

Osibdu said: “The main purpose of the PVC is to verify and identify voters through the BVAS machine, ensuring the card details and images match the information in the INEC Voters Register”.

Meanwhile, he reiterated the Commission’s commitment to hold free, fair, credible and transparent elections, saying: “OGSIEC cannot determine the outcome of the election, it can only count the votes and announce the results.”

He disclosed that the Electoral Officer has embarked on extensive training for Electoral and Polling Officers, while Presiding Officers, Polling Clerks and Polling Officers will be trained this weekend at various designated centers in preparation for the election.

Osibdu however urged political parties to campaign vigorously while appealing to individuals who may want to disrupt the electoral process to desist from the likes of security agencies to ensure an enabling atmosphere for the people to exercise civil rights.