INEC urges voters to collect PVCs as collection extended to March 8

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has advised registered voters yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to use the opportunity offered by rescheduled election dates to collect their cards.

The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Kayode Idowu, gave the advice in an interview in Abuja on Monday.

He said that the problem was not that the cards were not available ``but the question still remains the collection by the owners.’’

Kayode said that the commission would do its best to ensure that registered voters received their PVCs, given the extension in the election dates.

Asked if the collection of the PVCs would continue at the ward level after the eight-day extension deadline, Kayode said the commission would take a stand on that.

``But I want to believe that the collection continues as it was.

``The commission actually says it will extend the collection time in places where there are low turnouts.’’

The chief press secretary said the collection of PVCs was not one of the reasons why the election dates were rescheduled, adding that 68.7 per cent of PVCs had been collected as at Feb. 6.

``By the time we add the figure for Saturday, you can be sure that it would have reached 70 per cent.

``Even with all complaints, the rate is not bad as people are talking about it.’’

He, however, added that the commission would use the extension period to improve on its preparations in order to achieve success in the 2015 general elections.