Collection of PVCs at registration areas/wards to begin today – INEC

.Sets up committees for national situation room, collation centre

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) at registration areas/wards across the country would commence today (Friday).

In a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye on Thursday in Abuja, the commission said that the collection at ward level would end on Jan. 15.

Okoye urged all registered voters yet to collect their voter’s cards to use the opportunity to do so.

“The devolution of PVC collection to the wards commences tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 6 2023, and all validly registered voters who are yet to collect their PVCs are encouraged to seize the opportunity of the devolution to the wards to do so.

“After Jan. 15, the exercise will revert to the Local Government Offices of the Commission until Jan. 22.

“All eligible and valid registrants can collect their PVCs from 9am to 3pm daily, including Saturdays and Sundays.

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“All those that applied for replacement of lost, damaged, or defaced PVCs can collect their PVCs at the Registration Area/wards during this period and the same thing applies to those that registered prior to the 2019 general election and are yet to collect their cards.

“The PVCs of those that applied for transfer are available for collection in the Local Governments and Registration Areas where they intend to vote and not in the State or Local Government where they carried out the transfer.”

Okoye said that INEC appreciated the patience and understanding of Nigerians who trooped to its various Local Government Offices to collect their PVCs.

He said that in making the cards available for collection, INEC was also working to ensure that the process was simple and hitch-free for Nigerians.

It would be recalled that the commission held a retreat in Lagos with all the Administrative Secretaries and Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) from the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory from Nov. 28, 2022 to Dec. 2, 2022.

INEC at the retreat finalised the procedure and the timetable for collection of PVCs and consequently the collection of PVCs commenced in all the 774 local government offices of the commission throughout the Federation.

The commission also resolved that collection of PVCs should begin in the 8,809 Registration Areas/Wards from Friday Jan. 6 to Sunday Jan. 15.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has established committees for National Situation Room and Collation Centre for the 2023 general elections.

The commission disclosed this in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, on Thursday in Abuja.

Okoye said that INEC at its weekly meeting on Thursday, deliberated on several issues, including the venue for the national situation room and collation centre for the 2023 general elections.

Okoye said that INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, would head the Collaboration Secretariat Committee, National Chairman while the National Commissioner, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, would chair the Situation Room Committee.

”As general elections approach, the commission establishes a national situation room and collation centre where the results of presidential elections are collated.

”Once again, the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja will serve as the venue for this important exercise,” he stated.

Okoye said that the commission also established two committees for the purpose.

He stated: ”First is the Collation Secretariat, where presidential election results from the states will be collated.

“This will be headed by the chairman of the commission, in exercising his constitutional responsibilities as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Federation and Returning Officer for the presidential election. In addition, a few technical staff will assist him.

”The second is the Situation Room and Collation Centre Committee.

”This shall be responsible for the preparation of the venue, seating arrangement, utilities and services, security, the accreditation of party agents, as well as the national and international observers, media, etc.”

Okoye said that the committee members were National Commissioners: Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, and Festus Okoye; director of electoral operations; ICT; Planning and Monitoring.

Others were: directors of security; election and party monitoring; international cooperation and protocol; research; health services as well as director estate, works and transport.

Also listed as members of the committee were chief technical adviser to the chairman; special adviser to the chairman; chief press secretary to the chairman; while director of the Commission Secretariat will serve as Secretary.

Okoye said the situation room and collation centre committee was inaugurated by Yakubu, who charged it to start work in earnest and to discharge its responsibilities diligently.