In order to enhance access by persons yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has decentralised the on-going distribution of voter cards. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would devolve Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collection to Registration Areas and Wards across the country, from January 16th.
The commission said in a statement by Mr Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, on Friday, in Abuja, that deadline for collection of PVCs was February 8th. The statement said that decision on the issues was taken at the commission’s weekly meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.
It recalled that INEC carried out Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) between April 27th, 2017 and August 31st, 2018 during which a total of 14, 281,734 new voters were registered. It stated that subsequently, the commission printed the PVCs of the new registrants and delivered them to the states.
It said “collection of PVCs by the public which is being done presently at the Commission’s Local Government offices is to be devolved to the 8,809 Registration Areas/Wards from January 16th to January 21st (including Saturday and Sunday) to be collected between 9am to 4pm.
“After January 21st, collection of PVCs will revert to the Commission’s Local Government Offices and other designated centres to be determined by the states until Febuary 8th, being the last day for collection.
Source: INEC Instagram page; inecnigeria
“There will be no extension for the collection of PVCs after February 8th. All uncollected PVCs will be retrieved and kept in a secured place until the general elections are over.
“There shall be no collection of PVCs by proxy.”
The commission said that in the spirit of transparency, it would give account of the number of PVCs collected and the balance from previous registrations. It urged all registered voters yet to collect their PVCs to seize the opportunity to do so.
BY NAPOLEON TEJIRI