The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says 32,684 registered voters in Lagos state collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) on Friday, Jan. 6.

The commission in its daily update on PVCs collection issued on Saturday in Abuja revealed that 15,286 of Lagos registered voters who collected their PVCs were female while 17,398 were male.

The commission also disclosed that on the same Friday, 13,703 registered voters collected their voter cards in Edo.

INEC devolved the exercise nationwide to registration area/ward level from Jan. 6 to Jan. 15, after which it will be reverted to its local government offices until Jan. 22.

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has urged residents of voting age to pick up their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), from the various Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices in their localities.

Sanwo-Olu made the appeal on Monday, when he stopped by at INEC office in the Sura area of Lagos Island Local Government Area to pick up his reprinted PVC.

He was accompanied by the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, and some of his cabinet members.

The governor, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a few months ago redesignated his location and updated his details.

He had moved his polling unit from Ikoyi to Lagos Island, ahead of next year’s governorship election.

Sanwo-Olu reminded the people that it was only when they collect their PVCs that they would be able to exercise their franchise during the next year’s general elections.

”Today, INEC officially started the collection of PVCs and because I did a redesignation of my address of where I was and where I am now, I had to move my polling unit.

”I am here to demonstrate to all our citizens that I have complied. I have come to pick up my reprinted voter’s card and I want to enjoin everyone to use this opportunity to go out and pick their PVCs.

”I have collected mine and you can see that I am at the INEC office here, and it is peaceful. Within two minutes they sorted it out and I signed to collect my own. So my advice is for all of us that still have our PVCs uncollected to please come out and do the rightful thing.

”It is only with this that you can participate in next year’s election. I wish all of us the very best and as we go into this exercise, I hope that it is something that is worth it very seriously as another civic responsibility,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu said the he was confidence that the residents would do the right thing by re-electing him during the governorship poll, based on his administration’s performance during the first term.

”We will win because we believe Lagosians will do the right thing. And it is also because we believe that we have earned it; we have worked very hard and will continue to do that.

”We will continue to do our very best to ensure that we earn the trust and the commitment of our people,” he said.

The great interest that Nigerian youths are demonstrating towards the 2023 election is strengthening the resolve of the Independent National Electoral Commission to make it standard.

According to one of its commissioners, Festus Okoye, the youths are showing that the PVC is power.

Speaking during an interactive session with newsmen in Umuahia on Friday, he noted that 2023 offered the commission an opportunity to improve on its record.
“The Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, has assured Nigerians that this commission is determined to conduct good elections to make sure that votes count.

“The commission will deploy technology to obviate human interferences to undermine its efforts,” Okoye said.
He expressed delight over the large turnout of young Nigerians for the CVR.
He said that of the 11 million Nigerians that had completed their registration, about 7.8 million were between 18 years and 34 years.
“The interest shown by the young Nigerians meant that the future of the country is bright.
“The youths have shown that the PVC has power and they are ready to use it to make a change.
“The PVC has power and value. It is not enough to obtain your PVC.

“You must come out and vote on the day of the election,” he said.
Okoye further said that as at July 25, INEC’s record showed that about 28.5 million prospective voters registered online.
He said the figure included fresh registrants and those for transfers, destroyed, defaced and lost voter cards.
He also said that the commission had integrated Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the electoral process.
The INEC chieftain said that 34 Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers in the Osun election were PWDs.
He said that the commission would provide special equipment, including magnifying glasses, brailes and other aids for PWDs during the 2023 polls.

He also said that expectant and nursing mothers would be given preferential treatment during the polls.
Okoye said that the commission had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers as part of the efforts to ensure speedy distribution of electoral materials on the election day.
He said that Electoral Officers at the local government areas would also arrange with the local transport workers for the movement of materials.
He also said that the commission was discussing with the Police for the timely deployment of personnel to escort materials to polling units.

Okoye further said that the commission had begun intensive discussion with all the security agencies on ways to provide adequate security on the election day “so that the electorate would be confident to go out to vote”.
He said that the July 31 deadline for the CVR remained sacrosanct.
He said that the commission had enormous task to accomplish ahead of the election proper, hence could not afford another extension.
He said that the CVR had lasted for over a year and that INEC would not glorify “the last minute rush attitutde” of some Nigerians.
Addressing a large crowd of prospective registrants at the INEC office, he advised them not to engage in double registation.
“This exercise is exclusively for those who have not registered before and those that have just attained age 18,” he said.
He warned that double and multiple registrations were criminal offences and amounted to exercise in futility.
“At the end of the CVR, the commission will carry out a de-duplication to remove double and multiple registrations,” Okoye said.
He also spoke on the efforts by the commission to check “voter suppression” through vote buying by desperate politicians and their agents.

He said that the commission was collaborating with DSS and EFCC to effectively checkmate the ugly phenomenon.
He said that the commission had yet to get concrete evidence regarding the allegations of under-aged registration in some parts of the country.
He challenged communities to help arrest the illegal act, saying it could only take place with the complicity of the people.

Okoye said that PVCs had no expiry date and that it was not true that those obtained in 2011 needed to be revalidated.
He also said that investigation was still ongoing to uncover the facts surrounding the millions of PVCs reportedly found in one of the states in the country.
He said that a preliminary investigation by the commission with some samples of the PVCs did not give any clues as to the owners and state they originated from.

Employees of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) will not get their salaries until they obtain the Permanent Voter Card (PVC).

This came on the heel of an earlier directive by IPMAN’s National President, Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo, asking its employees nationwide to obtain their PVCs, before the expiration of INEC’s June 30 deadline.

The salary payment condition is contained in a statement issued on Friday in Kano by the chapter chairman, Alhaji Bashir-Danmallam.

Danmallam stated that the decision was reached at a meeting with Mr Okoronkwo who mandated him to issue the statement.

“The association found It necessary to take the measure to ensure that all its eligible members obtain the PVC to enable them to exercise their civic responsibility at the 2023 general elections.

“We are not saying our members should vote for a particular candidate or political party, but our concern is that our members should obtain the PVC, because without it, one cannot vote.

“Our members should feel free to vote for any candidate of their choice in any political party.

“They are at liberty to vote for candidates of their choice irrespective of which party affiliations,’’ Danmallam stated.

The IPMAN chairman also urged INEC to extend the PVC registration period to enable many members who live in remote areas and do not have access to the internet to register.

“The union is ready to open offices to facilitate the registration as it gave similar support to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

“It assisted the NIMC with computers for the issuance of National Identification Numbers (NIN).

“Beside the Federal Government, our organisation is the highest employer of labour in the country. We call on INEC to consider the possibility of extending the deadline for the registration,’’ he stressed.

Danmallam urged IPMAN members to make the best use of the opportunity to register before the expiration of the deadline.

INEC will count votes and not prayer points in 2023, the Anglican Bishop of Nike Diocese, in Enugu State, Most Rev. Christian Onyia, reminded eligible voters on Wednesday.

Addressing a pre-Synod media briefing, Onyia admonished eligible voters yet to obtain Permanent Voter Cards to do so, speedily as the 2023 general elections draw near.

He stressed that it was only the card that would enable voters to exercise their franchise and elect leaders of their choice in 2023.

Onyia also spoke about the growth of the Church in Enugu State and noted that one of the challenges was the assessment of priest by bishops.

He noted that priests should be given free hands to operate.

He noted that the diocese under his leadership had embarked on many development and spiritual projects as part of its contributions to improve the welfare of the people.

Bishop Onyia said that the diocese had gotten approval of NAFDAC to begin a water packaging factory located at Ninth Mile Area, near the state capital.

He said the factory would assist in solving the problem of water scarcity in Enugu and provide employment opportunities.

The factory has already employed 60 persons, the cleric said.

“Our diocesan hospital, St. Luke Physician Hospital that started last year in Damija, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu, with one building has moved to its permanent site.

“By the grace of God, the Enugu State governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, will be inaugurating the hospital on Thursday, April 21.

“The hospital has seven consultants from all branches of medicine and has the best surgical theatre when compared with private hospitals in this area.

“No wonder, surgeons are eager to use our theatre for their operations.

“Let me thank those who donated a 40-foot container of automated beds to our hospital and it will interest you to know that the automated beds are from the United States.

“The Nike Anglican Diocese has the best secondary school called Bishop Otubelu Juniorate in the East of the Niger,’’ Bishop Onyia boasted.

The prelate warned unmarried girls to be careful of whom they choose as life partners to avoid abusive marriages and untimely death as witnessed in the case of gospel singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu.

He enjoined them not to be swung by what the person is but should focus on who the intending life partner is.

Those who focus on what the person is usually regret their decisions, Most Rev. Onyia warned.
– NAN

All Progressives Congress leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has apologised to the Independent Electoral Commission over his claim that the PVC of many voters have expired.

He said it was a mistake and that what he meant when he spoke to women in Abuja borders on the need to update the cards.

INEC had quickly countered him, saying it was a false alarm.

In response to the this and the backlash that followed the misleading information, Tinubu’s media team issued a statement saying the APC chieftain mistakenly used the word ‘expire’ instead of stating that the PVCs may have to be updated.

The statement read, “On Tuesday night in Abuja, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu granted audience to a delegation of women from Lagos and across the country attending the All Progressives Congress Women Conference. While charging the women to check the status of their voting cards and mobilise supporters to vote, he mistakenly used the word ‘expire’ instead of stating that the cards may have to be updated.

“Immediately upon being apprised of this, Asiwaju apologised for the incorrect statement and felt sorry for any confusion it may have caused. Asiwaju Tinubu also stressed that he appreciates the patriotic and necessary work of INEC and its personnel in assuring a free and fair electoral process for all Nigerians in all political parties.

“At the meeting convened at the behest of the women, Asiwaju emphasised the need for people to fully participate in elections so we strengthen our democracy. He urged them to continue to mobilise voters to update their PVCs and help thwart the prevailing voter apathy. Women must mobilise heavily to reverse the trend, he said.

“The gap between those who registered for elections and those who usually turned up to pick their PVCs was wide, adding that such constitutes a serious challenge, which may impede the growth of our democracy.

“Asiwaju Tinubu would like to reiterate this call to women to mobilise at the grassroots level so that elections reflect the sovereign will of all the people for a true democracy to be established. He enjoins them to review their voting details with INEC so that these details will be updated before the coming elections.”

The Bayelsa Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Monday Tom, says INEC is satisfied with the percentage rate of Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection, promising that the body is adequately prepared to conduct the Nov. 16 governorship election in the state.

Tom made the assertion on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers capital.

The REC said only about 33,000 PVCs remained uncollected out of the 923,000 for eligible registered voters in the state, representing over 90 per cent of distributed PVCs ahead of the governorship election.

“We actually extended PVC collection to between Sept. 2 and Sept. 30, just to ensure that electorate have their PVCs.
“And during the exercise, the response was high because out of about 47,000 PVCs with INEC over 15,000 were collected, leaving a balance of about 33,000 unclaimed PVCs,” he said.

He also said that so far, the commission had concluded training for INEC staff and distribution of non-sensitive materials.
“As far as the commission is concerned, we are doing the best to get totally prepared for the Bayelsa gubernatorial election.

“We’ve concluded on most of the training for officers, we have trained the Senior Polling Officers (SPOs), we have done all levels of non-sensitive materials received, batched and set for onward distribution to the racks.

“Due to the difficult terrain in Bayelsa with about 70 per cent water component, we adopted to use the racks system and not the Local Government Areas, this is to ensure prompt and easy access to the polling units.

“So far, we have got all our non-sensitive materials for the election, we have harvested the SPOs and by next week we shall be training the Polling Officers (POs) and the Assistant Polling Officers (APOs),” he added.

Tom said finances required for the conduct of the election were already secured at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

According to him, planning an election is like climbing a ladder, adding that so far, the commission was almost done with the entire process.

“Today, we are handing over registers to 45 political parties that will participate in the election and this exercise represents almost the concluding part of every election plan,” he said.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would devolve Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collection to Registration Areas and Wards across the country, from Jan. 16.

The commission said in a statement by Mr Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, on Friday, in Abuja, that deadline for collection of PVCs was Feb. 8.

The statement said that decision on the issues was taken at the commission’s weekly meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.

It recalled that INEC carried out Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) between April 27, 2017 and Aug. 31, 2018 during which a total of 14, 281,734 new voters were registered.

It stated that subsequently, the commission printed the PVCs of the new registrants and delivered them to the states.

It said “collection of PVCs by the public which is being done presently at the Commission’s Local Government offices is to be devolved to the 8,809 Registration Areas/Wards from Jan. 16 to Jan. 21 (including Saturday and Sunday).

“After Jan. 21 collection of PVCs will revert to the Commission’s Local Government Offices and other designated centres to be determined by the states until Feb. 8, being the last day for collection.

“There will be no extension for the collection of PVCs after Feb.8. All uncollected PVCs will be retrieved and kept in a secured place until the general elections are over.

“There shall be no collection of PVCs by proxy.”

The commission said that in the spirit of transparency, it would give account of the number of PVCs collected and the balance from previous registrations.

It urged all registered voters yet to collect their PVCs to seize the opportunity to do so.

(NAN)