THE SUN
The frustration by Nigerians in the ongoing collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), has continued to generate mixed reactions, despite repeated promises by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the exercise would be seamless.
In many parts of the country, especially in Southern states, Nigerians in their thousands who have been trying, but without success to pick their PVCs, said the frustration said it might be part of a deliberate move to disenfranchise them.
In Edo, Enugu, Rivers, Lagos, Kano, Oyo and in other cities, findings by Saturday Sun revealed that many Nigerians have yet to collect their PVCs, including the nation’s capital, Abuja.
INEC had previously said it would end the PVC collection on 22 January, 2023 having started the process on December 12, 2022.
After deliberations at the commission’s headquarters on Thursday, its Commissioner for Voter Education, Festus Okoye, announced a new deadline for the PVC collection.
After a week of distributing the PVCs at Local Government Offices, INEC took the distribution exercise to the Registration Areas/Wards from January 6.
The distribution at the ward level, earlier scheduled to end on 15 January, has been extended to continue until 22 January, when the exercise would be taken back to the local government offices.
Amidst the rush, allegations of extortion by staff and officials of INEC, have continued to blight successes recorded so far.
But the commission said it is investigating the allegations by officials and “some unscrupulous voters’ trying to circumvent the process at some of the collection centres. Those found culpable will face disciplinary action and/or prosecution.”
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