Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
The Edo State Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, said that a total of 522,000 Permanent Voters Card (PVC) are yet to be collected in Edo State.
It said 522,000 uncollected PVCs comprise both the old and the new PVCs from the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR)
The State INEC Voter Education officer, Mr Timidi Wariowie disclosed this yesterday in Benin during a town hall meeting on youths participation in the forthcoming election organised by a non-governmental organisation, Yes Project, tagged “Value Your Votes Najia”
“At the end of the CVR exercise, 419,000 PVC including fresh registration, transferring cards from one point to another and updating information were sent to Edo INEC office.
“As at yesterday, out of the 419,000 PVCs, 299,000 have collected while about 120,000 are still uncollected. Also about 402,000 old PVC are yet to be collected in the state”
He said; when the distribution of the new PVCs commenced, the daily collection was above 20,000 but “now the daily collection has reduced to between 1000, 2000 and 3000 across the 18 local governments.
He charged youths organisation and Civil Society Organisation to continue to sensitize the youths on the need to registered and get their PVCs because it is the only means they can vote for their preferred candidate during forthcoming election we election.
Earlier, the Executive Director, Yes Project, Oche Precious, told Truth Live News that the event tagged “Value Your Vote Naija” was to sensitize and reawakening the youth on the need to go and cast their vote come February 25 and March 11 elections.
“This is the time to change the narrative by going out to cast our votes and decide the next leader that will pilot the affairs of our nation”.
Other participants who also spoke at the event admonished the youths not to sell their conscience through vote buying, saying this is the time for the youths to vote their conscience.