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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed worries that the difficult terrain which has denied many communities access by road in Bayelsa State may deprive many prospective voters of collecting their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) before the deadline ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
The commission complained that the turnout for collection of PVC in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State is impressive because it is largely accessible by road, while the remaining LGAs including Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor, and Brass LGAs which are largely riverine have recorded poor collection of PVC.
The commission, while lamenting that the number of cards collected so far in the said LGAs has remained low, encouraged residents who registered in the just concluded Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) to try their possible best to make themselves available for collection.
In a telephone chat with Tribune Online in Yenagoa, the State Head of Voter Education, Mr. Wilfred Ifogha said many prospective voters have complained that the hike in price of transportation along the waterways of the state is hindering them from reaching their various INEC headquarters to collect their PVCs.
Mr. Ifogha further stated that to salvage the situation, the commission has developed a plan to take PVCs to the wards of the various LGAs from January 6th, 2023, in a bid to break the gap and barriers of distance for prospective voters across the state.
As part of further measures to make the process easier for registrants, he said that the commission has decided to remain open and render services to registrants on Saturdays and Sundays, a step they hoped would enable those that are yet to collect their PVCs to do so before the deadline.
On the number of PVCs yet to be claimed, he said that the commission is yet to receive the current figure of PVCs collected so far at the time of filling this report but however promised to make the figures available to the general public soon.
Reacting to the promise by INEC to make sure no prospective voter is deprived of receiving their PVCs before the deadline, the Bayelsa Non-Governmental Organizations Forum (BANGOF) has commenced LGA inspection of the exercise to ensure transparency and accountability.
Former Chairman of BANGOF, Torki Douseye, said that the inspection exercise would commence from Yenagoa on Thursday, Ogbia on Friday while the other LGAs would follow to ensure that no eligible voter is disenfranchised in this first stage of the electioneering process.
He said that “the INEC has promised to begin the process of distribution at the LGA level for now, and extend it to the ward level on the 6th January 2023. So we are trying to monitor the process from the beginning to ensure that they going about it the right way. So, I want to encourage prospective voters to do whatever they can to collect their PVCs.”
Also speaking to Nigerian Tribune, Hon. Tony Ile, a Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties appealed to INEC to extend its time for closure of work from 4 pm to 6 pm in order to enable registered voters to get their PVCs before the deadline.
He said “there would be nothing wrong if the INEC order its staff to be in the office till 6 pm to enable those who close from work by 4 pm to quickly collect theirs before going home. This one of the ways to ensure that lesser Nigerians are disenfranchised.”
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