By Ahmed Abubakar
Ahead February 14 general election, more than 15 million eligible voters in the country are yet to collected their permanent voters card (PVC).
This is coming as Borno, one of the trouble states is yet to begin distribution of PVC, INEC record revealed.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will publish list of registered voters on Tuesday, January 13 2015.
The INEC balance of voters’ card report as at January 7th, 2015 released yesterday indicated that (15,567,219) Nigerians are yet to collecte their permanent voters card.
It would be recalled that INEC records as at August 2014, also revealed that 70.383 million people registered voters, for 2015 general elections, while 73.5million reportedly registered in 2011.
The INEC record further stated that the over 70million registered voters for 2015, INEC printed a total of 54,341,610 only 38,774391 have so far been distributed, while a total of 15,567219 are struggling to collect the PVC.
According to the data released by INEC, out of the 54,341610 printed PVC received so far, only 38,774391 were distributed, which is 71.35 percent of the PVC printed.
Going state by state distribution of the INEC data on the PVC, Lagos state with four million PVC, only 53.98 percent or 2159091 have received their PVC, or 53.98 percent, leaving behind 1,840,909 eligible voters without the PVC.
Also in Rivers state with a registered 1956983 voters, only 1253606 or 64.06 percent has been distributed, leaving behind 703377 voters without the Permanent Voters Cards. Another state worst affected by the distribution of the PVC is Imo state, where 1252307 PVC were received, but only 682046 voters have received their PVC or a 54.46 percent, leaving behind 570261 eligible voters without the PVC.
In Kano state, a total 3198859 PVC were received, but only 912312 or 59.64 PVC were distributed, with 427674 PVC yet to be undistributed. Also in Anambra state, a total number of 1665342 PVC were received, but only 862747 were successfully distributed or 51.81 percent with 802595 PVC are yet to be collected by the eligible voters in the state, while in Oyo state, 1985370 PVC were received with 1141405 or 57.49 percent distributed and 843965 were as press time yet to be distributed..
The distribution of the PVC in Jigawa state was partly successful as out of 1551831 PVC distributed, 1460620 or 94.12 percent were distributed leaving behind only 91,211 yet to collect their PVC.
When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Kayode Idowu said that the undistributed PVCs are with the various local government councils in the respective states.
He urged eligible voters that are yet to collect their PVC to hurry and collect their voters’ card.
