INEC Claims To Have Distributed 1.4 million Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) In Plateau State.

The Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) said it had distributed more than 1.4 million
Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Plateau out of 1.7
million, representing 96.9 per cent.

The Head, Voter Education and Publicity of INEC,
Mr Imahiyereobo Osaretin, told NAN on Sunday in
Jos that voters registered in 2011 and November,
2015 had received their PVCs.

“In general, we collected 1,671,038 PVCs meant for
Plateau from our headquarters and we have so far
distributed 1,429,692, which represents 96.9 per
cent.

“The PVCs now being distributed are for those who
registered during the first registration in 2011 as
well as those who registered in November 2014,”
he said.

He further explained that the distribution is ongoing
at the various registration centres to enable every
registered voter to get their cards before the
upcoming elections.

Osaretin the assured electorate that the collection
of PVCs would last till the period of elections,
rather than March 8 earlier slated by the
commission.

The spokesman warned against collection of the
PVCs by proxy, saying the registered voters must
obtain their cards by themselves and urged them to
get their cards before the election date.

He emphasised that only voters with PVCs would
be accredited to vote on the election date.

Osaretin urged those yet to collect their PVCs to be
patient as the commission was working hard to
ensure they get them.

However, he noted that there were PVCs piled up in
various INEC offices that were yet to collected by
the original owners.

“I know that people of Kanke, Lantang North and
South, and Jos South local government areas have
not gotten their PVCs yet due to some exigencies,
but I want to assure them that we will make it
available soon.

“But again, there are a lot of PVCs lying at our
various local government offices because people
have refused to come for them.

“18,000 PVCs have not been collected and this has
become a source of worry to us,” said Osaretin.

He, therefore, called on the general public especially
those who are yet to collect their PVCs to use the
existing period for the extension to enable them
discharge their civic right.