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Ahead of the January 29, 2023 deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for the conclusion of the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), Yiaga Africa has called on the commission to extend the exercise.

According to Yiaga Africa, a sufficient number of the PVCs have not been collected.

The group’s executive director, Samson Itodo, made the call at the Yiaga Africa watching the vote media roundtable on the 2023 presidential elections and deployment of parallel tabulation in Abuja, yesterday.

Itodo said the group is working towards protecting the integrity of the electoral process adding that they will stand by the Nigerian people to ensure that their votes count and that the process is devoid of all forms of manipulation.

“Sufficient number of PVCs have not been collected. So, INEC  should consider further extension of the PVC collection to enable people to collect their PVCs because Nigerians are determined to vote in the next elections.

“What we are doing is providing information, public education, and ensuring that people have the information that is required to participate in the elections.

“We also want to limit election manipulation through trade analysis, protect the integrity of the 2023 elections by ensuring data- driven election observation and provide technical support to marginalized groups who are on the ballot for the 2023 elections, especially women, youth, and persons with disability, “Itodo said.

On the implementation strategy, Itodo said, “We are going to produce development or knowledge production tools as well as electoral policy analysis, and engage in advocacy, which is our traditional tool for advancing our vision.

“We would also be engaged in direct community mobilization and outreach. And these are the ways that the Yiaga Africa is going to be involved in working on elections,” he said.

In his goodwill message, the president of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo, urged journalists to avoid fake news from social media.

“If we are going to look at the key stakeholders that would facilitate this credible election, beyond the management body and security, the media remain highly strategic and that is why we should continue to discourage the dissemination of fake news, “ Isigizo added.