The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would not extend the period for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC).
The INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, speaking on Channels TV’s ‘The 2023 Verdict’, said while INEC did not intend to disenfranchise any Nigerian, it was impossible for the period of PVC collection to be extended.
Okoye, who noted that the presidential election is just about 15 days away, said the commission needed to move its staff from the responsibility of PVC distribution to focus on preparations for the election.
“Unfortunately, this commission can no longer extend the period of collection of the PVCs,” Okoye said, “this is because we have just 15 days to go” for the presidential election.
He added, “…our staff who are in the local government (areas) and who are the issuance of these PVCs have to move back to what we call regular programming. They have to begin to receive the non-sensitive materials and match these non-sensitive materials in accordance with registration areas and wards and getting them ready for the D-day.”
Okoye further said the staff of the commission needed time to ready for the collection of sensitive materials “required for the conduct of this particular election.