808,590 PVCs (59.1%) distributed

By Daud Olatunji

ABEOKUTA—The Independent National Electoral Commission has expressed worry over the refusal of people to collect 560,285,000 Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, in the state.

Administrative secretary of the commission in Ogun State, Dickson Atiba, stated this during the courtesy visit of the new state commissioner of police, Mr. Valentine Ntomchukwu, to the headquarters of the commission at Magbon area of Abeokuta on Tuesday.

The INEC boss said there had been low turnout of people in the polling units where the PVCs were being distributed.

Atiba said: “The total number of registered voters in Ogun State is 1,795,794 and total number of PVCs we have received so far from Abuja is 1,368,875. And out of this, 808,590,000 have been distributed as at today (Tuesday), which represents 59.1 per cent.”

The INEC boss who said the distribution of the PVC was still ongoing in different polling units across the state, explained that to ensure that all registered voters collected their PVCs, the list of names of those who were yet to collect their own were being compiled and would be handed over to various stakeholders in the society.

Atiba said he foresaw a situation whereby the INEC might extend the March 8 deadline for the collection of the PVC, if by that date substantial number of PVCs remain uncollected.

The commissioner of police commended INEC for the progress made so far towards ensuring free and fair elections on March 28 and April 11.

Ntomchukwu, who noted that the police were critical stakeholders in the electoral process, expressed the readiness of the force to actualise and achieve the conduct of free and fair elections.