Over 300,000 permanent voter cards (PVCs) which have not been collected are wasting away at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices in the 245 local government areas in Delta state.
INEC resident electoral commissioner in the state, Rev Monday Udoh Tom, who made the revelation during the swearing-in of the executive of INEC Press Corps (IPC) yesterday, said the commission carried over 244,715 uncollected PVCs from the 2019 general elections, while it has so far received about 69,946 PVCs for those who registered between June and December 2021 and 17,000 transfer PVCs, bringing the stock of PVCs held by the commission to over 300,000.
He said in addition to the above figures, the commission is expecting more PVCs for those who registered between January and July 2022, which would increase the stock of PVCs held by the commission.
Tom lamented that most registrants, including those who registered from June to December 2021, have not shown up to collect their PVCs.
“Our visit today is therefore to solicit the cooperation of members of this august body to take this information back to their respective constituents on the need to collect their PVCs, mainly because unlike in the previous election, the use of the number of accredited voters, rather than registered voters, in the event of determination of inconclusive election, has now made the imperative of collecting the PVC an overriding factor.
“lt is indeed an incontrovertible fact, that it will amount to a great injury to the interest of those seeking elective offices, most of whom are your constituents, if at end of this election year, we add more to the stock of uncollected PVCs,” he said.
Responding, Olorogun Festus Ahon, chairman of IPC, said the exco members in collaboration with their colleagues would do their assignment creditably.
