PVCs: Bauchi residents urge INEC to decentralise collection centres

Bauchi State residents have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to decentralise the collection centres of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

Some of the residents, who spoke with our reporter on Friday in Bauchi, decried the slow process of PVCs collection.

They said decentralisation of collection centers would make it easier for eligible voters to collect their PVCs.

Mr Ayuba Garba, a resident, decried the poor organisation of the process, saying “we believe that the process of collection shouldn’t be hectic, the commission need to do more by decentralising the collection centres beyond wards and it should be collected in the polling units.

“This will also enable more people to collect their PVCs on time. It is very sad to see our people queue up daily at the INEC offices or wards.

“It is the same people that distribute PVCs that will also do other INEC activities; this is not the best,” he said.

Malam Abubakar Gumau, another resident, described the process of collection of the PVCs as too slow for the electorate.

“I have been here for over four hours in queue and up till this moment I’ve not be able to get my PVC.

“Just for the officials to tell me my PVC is not ready, I had to come back after 2 weeks, I was given a form to fill.

“I’m not happy at all, because today I’ve made up my mind not to attend to my business to enable me collect my PVC, but I didn’t achieve anything,” he said.

Gumau advised INEC to decentralise the collection centres and employ more ad-hoc staff for the job.

On her part, Mrs Rukkaiya Ahmad, a nursing mother, stressed that INEC officials are trying their best, but need more hands considering the deadline for the collection.

She also appealed to INEC to recruit more ad-hoc staff or volunteers to speed up the process and as well extend the time of collection from 3 p.m to 6 p.m daily.

Reacting to the development, Mr Mohammed Nura, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said some of the electorate are inpatient to follow the simple rules of PVC collection.

“The Commission was fully satisfied with the distribution process as witnessed by the mass turnout of the people at many centres visited during inspection.

“The Commission has achieved almost 65 per cent of the PVCs distribution to electorate across the 20 LGAs in the state,” he said.

The REC, however, urged the public not to panic as the officials of the commission are working assiduously from 9 a.m to 3 p.m every day to ensure eligible voters collected their PVCs before the deadline.

Meanwhile, INEC has extended the PVCs collection period by one week.