1.38m PVCs yet to be collected in Lagos – REC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State on Thursday said some 1.38 million Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) were still uncollected in the state.

Mr Sam Olumekun, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Lagos State, gave the figure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

“We still have about 1.38 million PVCs uncollected as we speak. Only about 15 per cent of the 2017 new registrants whose cards have been produced have come to pick their cards. It is very poor.

“We have also added close to 750, 000 new registrants, whose cards are still going to be produced and distributed.

“Of course, the ones (PVCs) newly printed for those who registered in 2017, people are coming to collect them than those which had been there since 2011 elections,” he said.

The commissioner urged eligible voters whose cards had been produced to visit INEC offices in the 20 local government areas across the state to pick them up.

According to him, this will enable them to exercise their civic responsibility in the 2019 elections.

“We are still looking at the possibility of going to meet the people; taking the cards to them, but we are still looking at that. It is going to be a policy issue,” Olumekun said.

The REC urged the people to be involved in determining those that would represent them in government.

“We are imploring all stakeholders in this business to educate and sensitise the people, because it is important to get our democracy working.

“Sensitisation, mobilisation and education is not the business of INEC alone; it is the business of every interest group, for people to come out and perform their civic responsibility,” Olumekun said.