By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Anambra State, has called on the registered voters in the state who are to collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to, please, do so.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Queen Elizabeth Agwu made the call on Wednesday during a stakeholders meeting organized by the Commission in its headquarters in Awka, Anambra State capital.
According to her, there are currently about 132,626 uncollected PVCs in the 21 local government areas of the state.
While wondering how the owners of the uncollected PVCs want to exercise their franchise in the forthcoming 2023 general election and in other subsequent elections without their PVCs, Dr. Agwu who described voters card as a must have for anyone who wants to vote in the forthcoming election, called on the owners of the PVCs to endeavour to come and collect them, as the Commission has no need of them.
According to her the breakdown of tye uncollected PVCs in the state, according to local government areas, is: Ogbaru LGA: 10, 755; Anambra East: 7, 717; Nnewi South: 1, 841; Anambra West: 1, 387; Awka North: 1, 543; Orumba North: 2, 393
Oyi LGA: 7, 582; Onitsha North: 9, 990; Ihiala: 4, 058; Nnewi North: 8, 700; Ekwusigo: 3, 350; Anyamelum: 1, 960; Awka South: 4, 971; Dunukofia: 6, 222; Onitsha South:12, 274; Idemili South: 4, 539; Orumba South: 6, 566; Anaocha: 855; Njikoka: 7, 009; Aguata: 12, 675; and Idemili North: 16, 256.
She also announced that the Commission’s offices across the 21 LGAs of the State will henceforth be open even on Saturdays and Sundays, to enable people collect their PVCs.
The electoral umpire further noted that the Commission has relocated the collation centres in six of the local government areas of the state as e result of the alarming insecurity in the areas.
According to Dr. Agwu, the affected local government areas include Ihiala, Nnewi South, Onitsha North, Orumba North, Awka North and Awka South local government areas.
She also reiterated that the 2023 general elections would be free, fair and credible, not only in Anambra State, but in the entire country; while also urging the people to shun any form of violence, to ensure a peaceful and hitch-free election in the country.
