Edo: INEC rules out PVC collection by proxy

Edo: INEC rules out PVC collection by proxy

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to new applicants across Edo State’s local government areas will commence today. INEC urges all eligible voters to collect their PVCs in person, emphasizing that no cards will be released to third parties.

In a statement, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, shared that the initial distribution at the ward level concluded successfully, with 125,928 PVCs collected within five days. This figure represents 68.3% of the 184,438 new cards issued during the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, marking the highest collection rate since the CVR was introduced ahead of the 2015 off-cycle governorship elections.

The ward-level collection, conducted across all 192 wards in Edo State between August 22 and 26, was carefully coordinated by INEC. The commission attributed the high success rate to its strategic approach, which involved organizing the PVCs by polling units, wards, and LGAs, and directly informing voters about the availability of their cards.

INEC has also made detailed information available on its website, including a breakdown of collections by LGAs and the locations of LGA offices where voters can pick up their PVCs from August 28 to September 8, 2024. The commission reiterates that PVCs must be collected in person, as no cards will be issued by proxy. Voters who have not yet collected their PVCs are encouraged to visit their respective LGA offices as soon as possible to complete the process.