37,832 of 60,370 new PVCs still uncollected in Lagos — INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says 37,832 of 60,370 newly printed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for new registrants are still uncollected in Lagos State, six months after release.

INEC’s Public Affairs Officer in Lagos State, Mrs Adenike Oriowo, told our reporter on Monday that so many old PVCs were still awaiting their owners to collect them at the 20 Local Government Area offices of INEC in the state.

Oriowo, who expressed dissatisfaction with the poor turnout and aparty of many electorates to collection of PVCs, urged them not to wait until last minute rush before the 2023 general elections.

She said that the statistics as at Oct. 21 showed that INEC in Lagos state had received 6,570,291 PVCs from the commission’s National Headquarters prior the 2019 general elections.

“Old PVCs collected up till Oct. 21 was 5,644,239 while the total uncollected old PVCs as at the same time was 926,052.

“The new PVCs received from INEC headquarters earlier this year were 60,370 while only 22,538 were collected as at Oct. 21.

“Total uncollected new PVCs as at Oct. 21, was 37,832,” Oriowo said.

She said that the overall total PVCs received from the INEC National headquarters now was 6,630,661.

While the overall total PVCs collected by their owners as at Oct. 21 was 5,666,777, the overall uncollected was 963,884.

Our correspondent recalls that INEC had fixed Feb. 25, 2023 for presidential and national assembly elections while March 11, 2023 was scheduled for governorship and state assembly elections.