INEC distributes 84% of PVCs in Niger

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it had so far distributed 84 per cent of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) to eligible voters in Niger State.

Alhaji Mohammed Wase, the state’s INEC Head of Voter’s Education and Publicity, disclosed this on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna.

He said less than 16 per cent of the cards were yet to be collected, adding that the last batch of the cards arrived on Friday, Feb. 27.

“The 16 per cent of PVCs yet to be collected belongs to those who have relocated like students and motorcycle riders that were banned in Minna.

“We have put in efforts by placing adverts on media to ensure total compliance in the collection of PVCs at the state level.

“We don’t have enough time to go from house to house to distribute the PVCs to people, all we can do is to campaign using the media for people to come for their voter cards.

“The cards for those who just registered arrived the state from our headquarters on Friday. We call on those who registered newly to come and collect their PVCs.’’

Wase said that the collection of PVCs was ongoing at different ward levels and urged those yet to collect to do so to enable them to exercise their franchise in the forthcoming elections.

He added that areas like Erena and Shiroro that had zero registration in 2011 had been captured, adding that their PVCs were now ready for collection.

He noted that those PVC’s yet to be collected would be kept in INEC custody for further distribution even after election. (NAN)