By Godfrey AKON
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has urged registered voters in Edo and Ondo states to come in person and collect their Personal Voters’ Cards, PVCs, warning that no PVCs will be collected by proxy.
Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who stated this at the Second Quarterly Consultative Meeting with Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, in Abuja, on Tuesday, said the commission will make available uncollected PVCs, for collection during the Continuous Voter Registration Exercise in Edo and Ondo states.
Yakubu noted that in the coming days, the list of uncollected PVCs will be published in our offices in the two states and simultaneously uploaded to INEC’s website, adding that the commission believes that doing so will make it easier for voters to collect their PVCs.
The INEC chairman also appealed to CSOs to join INEC in mobilising prospective registrants for early registration, instead of waiting until the deadline approaches when the registration centres will be inundated by eleventh hour registrants.
He also reminded CSOs to submit their applications for election observation in earnest along with the required supporting documents and a realistic number of individual observers as election in Edo state draws closer.
According to him, doing so will enable the commission to produce and deliver the identity cards for observers in good time.
He warned that INEC will not entertain requests outside the deadline for the receipt of applications from interested observer groups or process applications that do not meet the criteria.
“For emphasis, submission of reports from previous accreditation in the manner required by the commission is mandatory for continuous participation in election observation.
“Since our last meeting two months ago, many accredited observers have submitted their reports but a few are yet to do so. We urge you to do the needful. Your reports are important for us in reviewing and improving our processes and procedures,” he said.
