By Tony Adibe
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Enugu State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Joseph Chukwu has said that at least 329, 870 permanent voter cards are still waiting for collection by registered voters in Enugu State.
He explained that the figure has brought the total number of PVCs collected in Enugu State so far to 1,506336 ahead of the February elections. Dr. Chukwu, who disclosed this at a news briefing in the commission’s office in Enugu, said before the ongoing PVCs distribution exercise commenced on December 12, 2022, there were 381,332 PVCs that were not collected by their owners in Enugu State.
The REC disclosed that including the number were 127,665 PVCs uncollected before 2019 general elections and before commencement of the continuous voter registration last year. Dr. Chukwu noted that the continuous voter registration exercise last year recorded 263,567 registrants making the total number of the uncollected PVCs to 381,332 before the commencement of the distribution of PVCs as at December 12, 2023.
He said, “We started this PVC distribution exercise on December 12, 2022, at local government offices of the INEC. On January 6, we moved down to the wards to ensure that people get the cards, and we will leave the wards on January 15 and return back to the LGA offices of INEC to continue the distribution till January 22 when it will be concluded.
“As of the first week of the distribution exercise, 5,000 persons collected their PVCs. Also, 10,360, 5,949 and 30,053 collected in the second, third and fourth weeks respectively, totalling 51,362 PVCs so far collected as of January 10, 2023.
“So far, the total number of uncollected PVCs as at January 10, stood at 329,870. INEC officials are currently in the 260 Registration Areas (wards)”.
The REC expressed disappointment for the low turn of eligible voters in collecting their PVCs, stressing that failure to collect the cards would deprive the country a lot.
Dr. said: “It is very painful that someone who is above 18 years will register for PVC and will refuse to collect it. This amounts to waste of resources by the INEC and the federal government. It also means that you won’t be part of the people that will elect new leaders on election day.
“We embarked on heavy enlightenment and publicity about the collection of this PVC. We were in the churches. We were in the markets. We held meetings with traditional rulers and the civil society groups and yet we still have plenty uncollected PVCs.
“In order to ensure that every eligible voter gets his PVC, we engaged corps members to be part of the distribution of the cards.
“We will however use the remaining days to ensure that those who are yet to get their cards get them on or before January 22.
“We assure the people of Enugu State that our officials will ensure that any person who comes to his ward will get his card within the three days left to distribute these PVCs in their various wards.
“We’re using this opportunity to call on the eligible voters in Enugu State who own these cards to come forward and collect them. This is because we have just eleven days left to collect the cards.
“Generally, the distribution of PVCs will end on January 22 to enable INEC continue with other election planning. People should know that this PVC is what we’re going to use to conduct the election. That means, without your PVC, you cannot vote for your choice candidate.”
