The Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC has said that hundreds of thousands of Permanent voter’s cards are yet to be collected in the 21 local government areas in the state.
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr. Queen Agwu made this known on Sunday in a press briefing.
According to her, “the Commission’s offices will be opened across the 21 LGAs of Anambra State even on Saturdays and Sundays.
“Voters who have not collected their PVCs are encouraged to go and pick their PVCs, while the new batch of PVCs from the recent voter registration exercise is still being expected.”
Giving the breakdown of the unclaimed PVCs in the state INEC gave the status thus;
Ogbaru LGA: 10, 755, Anambra East: 7, 717, Nnewi South: 1, 841
Anambra West: 1, 387, Awka North: 1, 543, Orumba North: 2, 393, Oyi LGA: 7, 582, Onitsha North: 9, 990
Ihiala: 4, 058, Nnewi North: 8, 700
Ekwusigo: 3, 350, Anyamelum: 1, 960, Awka South:4, 971, Dunukofia: 6, 222, Onitsha South:12, 274, Idemili South: 4, 539, Orumba South: 6, 566, Anaocha: 855
Njikoka: 7, 009, Aguata: 12, 675
Idemili North: 16, 256.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) until Sunday 29th January 2023.
The Commission had earlier fixed the collection deadline as Sunday, 22nd January, 2023.
But following a meeting on Thursday, INEC said it has pushed the deadline by eight days.
The INEC National Commissioner Festus Okoye, said in a statement, “The Commission is determined to ensure that registered voters have ample opportunity to collect their PVCs ahead of the forthcoming election. For this reason, the timeframe for the collection of PVCs is extended by eight days.”
“Instead of ending on Sunday 22nd January 2023, the collection of PVCs will continue until Sunday 29th January 2023. At the moment, the period of collection is 9.00 am – 3.00 pm daily (including Saturdays and Sundays).”
Okoye explained that the development signals “a consequential adjustment of the collection by location as follows:
Collection at the Registration Area (Ward) level is extended by one a week from Monday 16th – Sunday 22nd January 2023.
Collection at the Local Government level will resume on Monday 23rd – Sunday 29th January 2023.