The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC Oyo State has begun the devolution of the Collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to 351 Registration Areas/ Ward Collation Centers in all the 33 INEC Local Government Area Offices ahead of preparations towards the forthcoming General Election in the State.

In a statement by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the State, Dr. Adeniran Rahmon Tella, noted that the exercise commenced on Friday 6th January to Sunday 15th January 2023 from 9 am to 3 pm daily, including Saturdays and Sundays.

Dr. Tella stated further that the exercise was for all eligible valid registrants, those that applied for the replacement of lost, damaged or defaced PVCs and those that registered prior to the 2019 General Election and were yet to collect their cards.

The REC informed that collection of PVCs would revert to all 33 INEC Local Government Area Offices until 22nd Jan. 2023.

He, however, implored the electorate to make good use of the exercise as collection would not be by proxy.

Mosope Kehinde 

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says anyone buying Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2023 general elections is wasting time, energy and resources.

The INEC National Commissioner in Charge of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Festus Okoye stated this in Ibadan at a training for journalists organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists in collaboration with the INEC.

Mr Okoye, who was represented by the Deputy Director Gender and Inclusiveness Department, Mrs Ndidi Okafor while addressing the gathering, said the only thing that could disenfranchise any voter during the elections is identity theft.

Speaking during the training tagged ‘Conflict-Sensitive Reporting and the 2023 General Election’, Mr Okoye insisted that anyone buying PVCs was embarking on an exercise in futility.

He said journalists play critical roles in deepening democracy; hence the training at a time Nigeria was approaching another general election.

“It is not possible to snatch ballot boxes and ballot papers again. It is because of technology.

 The only reason why some people will not vote is identity theft. What we are dealing with is the fingerprint and the face. So, if your finger did not match, then your face must match.

 If your fingerprint did not match and your face did not match, then you cannot vote, that means you are not the owner of the PVC. That is identity theft.

Because media is a stakeholder, a critical stakeholder for that matter, So, I want to appeal to you the media, you are a stakeholder.”

While speaking, the President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Chief Chris Isiguzo advised journalists across the country to brace up for the challenges ahead of the 2023 general elections.

He warned journalists against any attempt to deviate from the ethics of the profession saying it would not augur well for the country.

Mr Isiguzo, who was represented by the NUJ National Trustee in Charge of Zone F, Mrs Abimbola Oyetunde, also hinted that the union was ready to work with INEC to ensure that democracy works properly in the country. 

He said that the role of the media in Nigeria’s emerging democracy was crucial, insisting that media professionals must maintain the highest possible standards in their practice.

In a goodwill message, the INEC’s Administrative Secretary in Oyo State, Mr Abiodun Onikate-Amosu said that journalists were expected to have a thorough understanding of issues pertaining to elections.

Mr Onikate-Amosu added that this would help them convey details to citizens in simple and clear terms aimed at deepening democratic dividends.

Raheeda Makinde

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Monday, December 12, 2022, to Sunday, January 22, 2023, as the date for the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in all the 774 local government offices of the commission nationwide.

A statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye said the Commission also resolved to devolve PVC collection to the 8,809 Registration Areas/Wards from Friday, January 6 to Sunday, January 15, 2023.

“Those that are unable to collect their PVCs at the Local Government Offices of the Commission can do so at the Registration Areas/Electoral Wards,” the statement said.

It also indicated that after January 15, 2023, the exercise will revert to the Local Government Offices of the Commission until January 22, 2023.

According to the statement, all eligible and valid registrants can collect their PVCs from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm daily, including Saturdays and Sundays.

All the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and Electoral Officers (EOs) have been directed to convene a meeting with the critical stakeholders in their States and Local Government Areas, including traditional and religious leaders, civil society groups, community-based organisations and the media “to brief them on the modalities for the collection of the PVCs” to sensitise the public and ensure seamless exercise.

Similarly, RECs and EOs have been directed to set up help desks to assist registrants with complaints about their PVCs or with the PVC collection procedure for immediate redress.

The statement added that the Commission “appreciates the patience and understanding of Nigerians, especially those who registered as voters or applied for transfer/replacement of their cards from January to July 2022”.

Ogochukwu Okoronkwo

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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC says there are over three hundred thousand uncollected permanent voter cards in Delta State.

The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Pastor Monday Udoh-Tom, made this known during the inauguration of INEC Press Corps, IPC in the state.

Mr. Udoh-Tom urged media practitioners to assist the Commission in informing those who registered for the PVCs to visit the designated INEC offices across the twenty-five local government areas of the state to collect their voter cards.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the state INEC Press Corps, Chief Festus Ahon, in a remark, pledged the commitment of the group to play its role of information dissemination, in partnership with INEC and other relevant stakeholders.

Oghenero Eghweree, of  FRCN Charity FM Asaba, was also sworn in as the Secretary of the Delta State INEC Press Corps.

 Oghenero Eghweree

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday announced that the Permanent Voter Cards of eligible voters who are just completing their registration may not be ready until January 2023.

This was disclosed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Federal Capital Territory, Yahaya Bello, at a briefing in Abuja ahead of the Youth Vote Count Mega Music Concert on Saturday.

The Youth Vote Count Mega Music Concert is a joint event put together by INEC in collaboration with Yiaga Africa and the European Union.

Bello, who sounded a note of warning at the event on Tuesday, said “anybody just registering cannot immediately collect them until after the end of the whole exercise”.

“I want to make it clear that the PVCs you see people collecting now are from 2011, 2019 and last year. Those who are participating now till June 30 won’t be able to collect theirs now.“It is a process that will allow us to print these cards. The collection of the PVCs will not commence until the first month of 2023 and it will be done in person, not by proxies.

“Let me also appeal to Nigerians to be civil in the course of this laudable initiative. If we fail to behave ourselves in an orderly fashion, it will only give room for people who want to cause commotion to steal our phones and wallets,” he appealed.

When asked if INEC will extend the deadline for registration, Bello declined to comment, saying he was just a REC.“I think INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Prof Festus Okoye, would have been in a better position to answer that,” he said.

Reacting to the proposed extension, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekamni, said that it was not impossible because INEC has a “very good history of complying with court order”.“We are going to do that but remember that once a matter is in court, it is sub judice to talk about it,” he said.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had issued an order stopping INEC from ending the ongoing voters’ registration.

Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon, in the court’s ruling, granted an order of interim injunction following the hearing of an argument on motion ex-parte by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project.

The electoral body had stated that the voters’ registration exercise would end on Thursday, June 30, to allow the commission to clean up its database ahead of the general election in 2023.

Punch/Olaolu Fawole