As the complaints from many parts of the country burgeons,the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Thursday,12th 2023, extended the deadline for collection of Permanent Voter’s Cards, (PVCs) by seven days.
INEC has stated that the exercise will now end on January 29, instead of January 22, as earlier scheduled.
Since the collection of the PVCs started, the polity has been awash with complaints by citizens over difficulties in picking up the cards worsened by extortion by INEC officials and alleged refusal to distribute the cards to non-indigenes in some states.
Photographs of pregnant women, nursing women and the aged in crowded collection centres have been trending in the media.
Reacting to the issue, INEC vowed to punish any staff found guilty of extorting and discriminating against any registered voter in the issuance of the PVCs.
Dr. Festus Okoye,National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee at the commission,made this disclosure in a statement, yesterday.
He said the decision was a fallout of Thursday’s regular meeting wherein the commission deliberated on a number of issues, including the ongoing collection of PVCs nationwide.
“The commission is determined to ensure that registered voters have ample opportunity to collect their PVCs ahead of the forthcoming election. For this reason, the timeframe for collection of PVCs is extended by eight days. Instead of ending on January 22, 2023, the collection of PVCs will continue until January 29, 2023. At the moment, the period of collection is 9a.m., – 3p.m., daily (including Saturdays and Sundays).
“As a result of this extension, there is a consequential adjustment of the collection by location as follows: “Collection at Registration Area (Ward) level is extended by one week from January 16 to 22, 2023.
“Collection at Local Government level will resume on January 23 to 29, 2023,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Okoye said the commission is investigating allegations of extortion by officials at some of the collection centres and inducement by some unscrupulous voters to circumvent processes in order to obtain their PVCs.
“Those found culpable will face disciplinary action and/or prosecution,” he said.
(Vanguard)
