Following the directive of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council in the South West that work-free days be set aside for the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, and his Ondo State counterpart, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, have declared Tuesday, January 24, 2023, a work-free day in their states.
 
A statement by their chief press secretaries said that it was to enable eligible voters to collect their PVCs at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’designated centres.
 
INEC had approved the commencement of the distribution of PVCs nationwide from December 12, 2022, to January 22, 2023, but later extended it by one week.
 
There had been claims of low turnout of voters at the various wards across the states as the INEC continues the distribution of the PVCs.
 
This is despite continuous voter education on local radio and television stations by the commission, asking registered voters to go to their wards to pick up their PVCs.
 
Oyebanji, therefore, urged all eligible voters to take advantage of the holiday and collect their PVCs, which is their license to participate in the forthcoming general election.
  
According to Akeredolu’s Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, the governor said that the one-day break would further allow registered voters in the state to go to their wards across the 18 local councils of the state to obtain their PVCs.
 
While urging residents including civil servants that are eligible voters to seize the opportunity to collect their PVCs, Akeredolu implored the people to place a premium on PVC collection to enable them to exercise their franchise during the polls.