242, 987 uncollected PVCs Unsettle Delta INEC

The almost 242, 987 uncollected permanent voter’s cards (PVCs) has continued to unsettle the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Delta state.

Executive Secretary, INEC, Delta State, Mrs. Rose Oriaran-Anthony who spoke to our reporter in Asaba said: “As at April 6, 2018 a total of 242, 987 PVCs were still in our possession”, disclosing that State had been forthcoming in the ongoing registration exercise.

Also, she said that though Deltans had shown concern in the voters’ registration, and collection of PVCs, regretted that the figures yet to be collected portends worries.

According to her: “There are other states which had quite huge number of PVCs uncollected, this 242, 987 figures PVCs uncollected in the state were from the past voters’ registration exercise” noting that PVCs from the ongoing continuous voters’ registration (CVR) were yet to be out.

She further disclosed that part of the reasons why states have PVCs uncollected, could be as a result of relocation from the states after registering, adding that such persons are those who were in the states on their compulsory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Civil Servants, who may have retired, and left the states, or transferred, or persons who may have already had their PVCs, and students who registered while still schooling in the states.

Orian-Anthony however urged those who registered in Delta State, but were yet to collect their PVCs to ensure they collect their PVCs to enable them carry out their civic responsibilities of voting their preferred candidates in the 2019 general elections.

Investigation revealed that the huge uncollected voters’ cards in the states, were alleged to have been kept for sale to desperate politicians.

But the South South Officer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mr. Chux Nwaburu dismissed as untrue, adding that the reason the huge number of PVCs were uncollected from INEC, was as a result of inability of some persons to travel to INEC Local Government Headquarters to collect them individually.

He said: “every registrant had the where withal to travel to the INEC office at the council headquarters, people were registered at near different wards, and were expected to travel to their Local Government Headquarters to collect the PVCs”.

Meanwhile, Nsukwa Clan community youths, comprising of 11 autonomous communities in Aniocha South Local Government Area of the State has passed a vote of confidence on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and also endorsed him for second term come 2019.

Mr. Austin Chikezie who spoke to our reporter in Asaba, said “we have never had it so well, we have never been lucky, Okowa is hard working, and we will support him”.