The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Thursday that 373,030 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) remain uncollected by registered voters in Edo State. This announcement was made during a stakeholders’ meeting on the upcoming Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, set to begin on May 27.
Professor Rhoda Gumus, INEC National Electoral Commissioner in charge of Edo State, revealed the figures, represented by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Anugum Onuoha. Dr. Onuoha stated that the voter registration exercise would run from May 27 to June 5, 2024.
According to Dr. Onuoha, “From the commission’s published statistics of registered voters, Edo State has 2,501,318 Permanent Voter Cards. The number of PVCs collected and uncollected were 2,128,288 and 373,030, respectively.”
He emphasized the importance of the stakeholders’ meeting for the success of the electoral process, highlighting that the registration exercise aims to enable individuals who have turned 18 to register and fulfill their civic duties. Additionally, the exercise provides opportunities for voters to transfer their PVCs to different locations or correct any errors in names or dates of birth on their PVCs.
Dr. Onuoha appealed to the media, political parties, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to assist in mobilizing and sensitizing the public to participate in the registration process, ensuring they can vote in the forthcoming governorship election.