Paul Orude, Bauchi
Thousands of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), in Bauchi State, are now lying uncollected at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s office in the state capital.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in Bauchi State, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullaahi, expressed worry over the apathy of registered voters to collect their PVCs in the state.
Abdullahi raised the concern during press briefing on PVCs and 2018 continuous voter registration exercise (CVR), held at INEC office, in Bauchi, on Friday.
He lamented that out of 93,486 PVCs for those who registered as from April 2017 to January 2018, for which are printed and ready for collection, only 6,524 have collected so far.
“INEC has commenced the distribution of PVCs since Monday 21st, of May, 2018 in all 20 LGA offices of the commission and other designated registration centers across the state.
“I’m urging all those who have registered themselves as voters between the period of April,2017 and January, 2018 to report at INEC at INC Local Government Area Offices and other designated registration centers across the state with their temporary Voters Cards/Evidence to collect their PVCs every working day,” he said.
He urged those who registered in 2014 to get their PVCs or those who did not come for collection of their PVCs at all that the compiled registration list has been displayed in all the 20 INEC Local Government Area Offices in the state in order to verify their registration status ascertain their PVCs for collection
He said, ” Futthermore, I am glad to remind all eligible citizens of Bauchi state who have attain the voting of 18 years and above and have not register themselves as voters to visit nearest registration centers in their respective LGA to register so as to have the opportunity of participating in the forthcoming 2019 General election and subsequent elections in future”
Abdullahi called on the citizens of the state particularly the political parties, politicians, women groups and youths to conduct themselves within the ambit of law and participate actively in the electoral processes for sustainability of democracy in Nigeria.