80% of voters in Bayelsa have collected PVC, says INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bayelsa State has said that the uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the state was below 20 per cent.

The new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr Monday Udoh, made this disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa, the state capital, on Tuesday.

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Udoh explained that the commission had so far distributed more than 80 per cent PVCs to the owners in the state.

NAN recalled that INEC registered no fewer than 1,036,442 eligible persons during voters’ registration exercise in the state.

“The distribution was decentralised at ward levels including the coastal communities to ensure that those who registered collect their PVCs before the general elections.

”As of today, the percentage of card collection is more than 80 per cent; what is left is small, because of the voter education that was carried out.

“We are still working hard to ensure that all PVCs get to the rightful owners.

”For the remaining ones, which is below 20 per cent, the commission will ensure that they are distributed before February 8 deadline for collection.

”On terrain challenges in the state, the commission is in talks with the boat owners associations to engage their services during the elections.

”He expressed confidence that the forthcoming elections would be free and credible; that is, on the basis of one man one vote,” he stated.