246,882 PVCs yet to be collected in FCT – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said it was still in possession of 246, 882 uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

Director of Publicity in the commission in FCT, Mrs Ndidi Okafor, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja, that the cards were for voters in the territory who were registered in 2011, 2014 and 2016.

She urged owners of those cards to come forward and collect them, saying it was part of their civic responsibilities.

“Registered voters should kindly fulfil their civic responsibility. It is their civic responsibility to register, collect their PVCs and to vote during elections.

“We all have our roles to play collectively and individually. So, I am appealing to residents of the territory and Nigerians yet to collect their PVCs to please do so.

“I also urge those yet to register to go for registration at our ongoing Continuous Voter Registration centres so that they can participate in 2019 general elections.’’

Okafor also disclosed that INEC had received the first batch of PVCs for persons, who registered between April and December, 2017.

She said that in order to avoid mix-up of the new cards with the old ones, the commission had designated centres for their collection.

The centres for the collection of the new PVCs, according to her, are INEC office in Karu for Karu and Nyanyan wards; Karshi Women Development Centre for Karshi and Orozo wards and Model Primary School-Garki 11 for Garki ward.

Others are Government Secondary School, Area 10 for City Centre; Wuse Zone II Primary School for Wuse ward; LEA Primary School, Lugbe, for Kabusa and Gui wards as well as GSS Life Camp for Gwarimpa and Gwagwa wards.

Okafor, however, advised those who were yet to register to do so at respective registration centres, saying that CVR was ongoing at designated and rotational centres.

She explained that rotation of the centres was done in line with the request of the residents had help to reduce the distance challenge people were facing before.

Meanwhile, NAN correspondent who monitored the collection of PVCs by those registered in 2017 in the FCT, reports that the exercise began with impressive turnout of the people at the centres.

The correspondent visited GSS, Area 10; Diplomat Garden, Area 1and Wuse Zone 2 Primary School centres in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

An INEC official at GSS Area 10, who did disclosed his name, told NAN that no fewer than 30 of the new PVCs had been collected as at 2.30 p.m.