INEC extends deadline for collection of PVCs

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has extended the deadline for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) by one week.

INEC had earlier said it would end the collection of PVCs on January 22, 2023 after starting the process on December 12, 2022.

But after deliberations at the commission headquarters on Thursday, the Commissioner for Voters Education, Festus Okoye, announced the deadline for PVC collection.

In a statement released on the same day, Mr. Okoye said the current collection of PVCs ended on January 29.

“The Commission is encouraged by the turnout of registered voters and the increase in the number of PVCs collected throughout the country,” he said.

He said the extension was approved to give Nigerians more time to get their PVCs before the upcoming general election in 43 days.

After a week of distributing PVCs in Local Government Offices, INEC took up the exercise of distribution to Registration Areas/ Wards from January 6.

Distribution at the ward level, previously scheduled to end on January 15, has been extended to January 22, when the exercise will be brought back to local government offices.

At the local government office, the exercise continued until January 29, he added.

Mr. Okoye said INEC was impressed by the turnout of Nigerians in collecting PVCs at Ward level.

“In several states, around 100,000 PVCs were collected in the last five days since devolution to the ward level began on Saturday, January 6, 2023,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Commission said they are investigating allegations of extortion by officials and “some unscrupulous voters” trying to circumvent the process in some of the collection centers.

---

“Those found guilty will face disciplinary action and/or prosecution,” he said.