The Resident Electoral Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Sokoto State, Mr Musa Sadiq has urged eligible voters to present themselves at political wards for the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) across the state.
Sadiq made this call during a stakeholder meeting in the state on Thursday. He said distribution of PVCs at wards level was introduced to facilitate more access to yet to collect voters cards adding that the present wards level distribution would end on Jan. 21, 2019.
He disclosed that the state has 1, 903, 166 registered voters with about 190, 000 PVCs yet to be collected by their owners, stressing that the introduced ward level distribution aimed to ensure successful conduct of 2019 general election.
Sadiq revealed that Sokoto is among the states with high level of PVCs collection in Nigeria compared with others and expressed optimism that by the end of present exercise less than 20,000 PVCs may have remained uncollected with the level of patronage.
He recalled that the State has about 410 political wards and urged members of the public to visit their wards for the collection of the PVCs
According to him, the ad-hoc workers that were National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members would be joined with state indigenes for the proper understanding of local languages to avoid hitches.
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He further commended the cordial relationship with stakeholders especially women groups, NGOs and others in the state, while urging them to extend the gesture up the end of forthcoming general elections.
He added that proper arrangements were on to ensure successful conduct of elections at all levels noting that contacts would be continues.
Also speaking, the Chairman Sokoto State Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (IACCES), Commissioner of Police, Mr Murtala Mani, assured of more efforts to ensure successful conduct of elections.
The State Commandant of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr Musbahu Idris, said adequate measures were made to tackle drug abuse, especially among youths.
Idris said about 178 persons were arrested while a handful of measure of illegal drugs was arrested in 2018 and efforts continue.
The event was attended by representatives of political parties, Non-Governmental Organisations, Community Based Organization, Traditional and Religious leaders, Media station executives, women groups and others.