EDO2024: Collection of PVCs At Ward Level Begins Aug 22

• 119, 206 new voters registered
• 8,847 voters transferred from other States
• 46,171 total transfers within Edo State
• 4,808 applications for correction of names, dates of birth
• 5,406 requests for replacement of lost, damaged PVCs

By Nathaniel Gana and Dominic James

Tuesday 20^th August 2024

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has concluded arrangements to make Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) available for collection by registered voters at 210 designated centres in Edo State.

According to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who spoke at the Commission’s meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioner (RECs) held in Abuja on Monday 21^st August, all the PVCs have been printed, delivered to the Commission’s office in Benin city and handed over to Electoral Officers who will facilitate the collection process.

The first level of collection, he said, will take place in all the 192 Wards in the State between Thursday 22^nd and Monday 26^th August, from 9am to 5pm daily, including the weekend. Thereafter, the second level of collection will continue in all the Commission’s 18 Local Government offices in the State, from Wednesday 28^th August to Sunday 8^th September 2024 between 9am to 5pm daily including the weekends. Detailed information about the dates and location of all the centres have been uploaded to the Commission’s website and social media platforms.

Giving the background, Prof. Yakubu recalled that following the conclusion of the last Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Edo and Ondo States, and after the clean-up of the register, the Commission published the figures of new registrants for the two States.

His words: “For Edo State, 119,206 new voters were registered. In addition, 8,847 voters transferred their registration from other States of the Federation to Edo State while 46,171 voters transferred their registration within the State i.e. from one part of the State to another. As provided by law, the Commission has updated the records of 4,808 voters that applied for correction of names, addresses or dates of birth from previous registrations and also replaced 5,406 lost or damaged PVCs. Put together, 184,438 voters of various categories were served by the Commission during the last CVR in Edo State. They will be issued new voters’ cards (PVCs).”

To pave the way for a seamless collection of the PVCs, the Commission has developed a register containing, among other information, the names and photographs of the 184,438 voters. The register has been uploaded to the Commission’s website (http://inecnigeria.org/?page_id=13804) to facilitate easy identification and collection of the cards.

However, the INEC Chairman emphasised that policy of personal collection of PVCs by registered voters has not changed. He said: “The cards will not be distributed or collected by proxy so that they do not end up in the wrong hands. We urge voters who took their time to register during the CVR to also take time to collect their PVCs in person and, most importantly, to come out on Election Day and vote for the party of their choice.”

Prof. Yakubu also revealed that the soft copy of the final register of voters would be presented to each political party fielding candidates in the election today, Tuesday 20th August 2024 at the Commission’s office in Benin City, in fulfilment of item 10 of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election.

With regard to Ondo State, the INEC Chairmam assured that the Commission “is working on the schedule for the collection of PVCs. He affirmed: “I want to assure the electorate in Ondo State that action is being taken in respect of the availability of their PVCs for the governorhsip election holding in November this year. Very soon the Commission will make available detailed arrangement for the collection of PVCs for all categories of voters from the recent CVR in the State.

Prof. Yakubu also reminded media orgamisations seeking to cover the Edo State Governorship Election to take advantge of the accreditation portal (https://imap.inecnigeria.org) before it shuts down at 6pm on Thursday 5th September 2024. He revealed that as of Monday 19th August, 63 organisations had uploaded the details of 584 personnel for accreditation for the election.