By Maxwell Effiong
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for the collection of Permanent Voters’Card (PVC) by eight days.
This was disclosed in a statement issued to newsmen by the Information and Voters’ Education Committee of INEC.
It said due to impressive turned out of registered voters to collect their PVC, the deadline has been shifted from initial 22nd of January to 29th of January 2023.
It said the extension was necessary to give registered voters ample opportunity to claim their PVC ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
According to Okoye, since the devolution to the Wards level Started on Saturday 6, as many as 100,000 PVCs were collected in the last five days.
He said, at the moment the period of collection of PVCs is 9am – 3pm daily including Saturday and Sunday.
He further disclosed that while the collection at the Registration Area level is extended by one week from Monday January 16, to Sunday January 22, 2023, the Local Government level will resume on Monday January 23, to Sunday January 29, 2023.
He said the Commission has printed 13,868, 441 PVCs for all new valid Registrants as well as applicants for transfer or replacement of Cards.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, Information and Voters Education Committee, Festus Okoye say the Commission is investigating alledged extortion by Officials at some of the collection centres and inducement by some unscrupulous voters.
He also said the Commission has expressed worries over the allegation of discriminatory issuance of PVCs.
Okoye warned that any person found culpable will face disciplinary actions or prosecution as all Registerants are entitled to their PVCs to use them to vote on Election Day in any part of the country where they are registered.
The Commission therefore appreciates the patience and perseverance of citizens while assuring that they we continue to fine-tune their process to make the collection of PVCs easier.