IZUNNA OKAFOR
A concerned citizen has raised alarm over thousands of Permanent Voter’s Card (PVCs) yet to be collected by their owners in Oko, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
It was gathered that the uncollected PVCs, numbering over 2500 belong to residents who vote in about 28 polling units in the community, but the owners are nowhere to be found, while the deadline for PVC collection, as was given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is fast approaching.
According to a video currently trending on the social media, the INEC official in charge of distribution of the PVCs usually waits at the collection center at Oko Ward 2 all day long without seeing anyone showing up to pick his card.
When interviewed, he revealed that the yet-to-be-colleccted PVCs belong to voters who cast their votes at College Primary School School, Eze Ene, Agu Ayo, Mgbala Hall, Open Space Health Centre Oko, Federal Polytechnic Oko, Perm. Site, Main Gate, Second Gate, Ihengwu Hall, among others.
A concerned citizen of the community who did not reveal his identity called on the owners of the cards to hasten up to pick up their cards, while also urging residents to please spread the message and inform everyone who votes at Oko Ward 2 to go check their PVCs.
As a form of motivation, the good fellow also pledged to give ₦500 transport allowance to everyone who goes to the center to collect his PVC.
Recall that INEC had previously said it would end the PVC collection on 22 January, 2023 having started the process on 12 December, 2022.
But after deliberation recently at the Commission’s headquarters, the Commissioner for Voter Education, Festus Okoye, announced a new deadline for the PVC collection.
In a statement he released on the same day, Mr Okoye said the PVC collection now ends on 29th January.