There are 460,000 unclaimed PVC’s in Edo – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday said the 460, 000 unclaimed PVC’s domiciled at its headquarters in Benin can change the political narratives in the state ahead of 2019 general election.

Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Effanga, disclosed this during a courtesy call on the state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists secretariat in Benin City.
The REC, who was accompanied on the visit by Management staff of the Commission in the state, said there were 2 million eligible voters in the state.

Effanga said the Commission has taken steps to reach out to relevant Institutions including traditional and religious institutions to use their platforms to encourage owners of the PVC’s to claim the PVC’S at designated locations.

He said a total of 4858 were recorded during the first quarter of the continuous voter cards (CVR) as at July 2017, while, 1,467 cases of defaced cards from eligible voters in the state were before the Commission for correction.

According to him, “that 460, 000 permanent voters cards that have not been collected to correct the narratives in the politics.

Now is the time for the collection of PVCs. Why can’t it be collected in the extra areas we have created for continuous voter registration? This is going to be very difficult to do because PVC’s are highly sensitive items due to security concern. He, however, denied allegations of alleged extortion by some INEC officials to midwife the ongoing CVR.

The allegations that people are demanding money to register potential voters at registration points is not true. I’m not aware of that. But if you are aware of that, please let us know. It is criminal and we will act on it”, he said.