The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concerns over the large number of uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Imo.
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo, Prof. Sylvia Agu expressed the worry at a stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday in Owerri. Agu said the commission had received and started distribution of 152,221 PVCs from the new registrations between January and July, 2022.
This is coming on the heels of yet another attack in Imo as hoodlums vandalised its Isu Local Government Area (LGA) of the state. Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee said this in statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
Okoye said that the attack was the fourth in the state, after that of Orlu and Oru West LGA, as well as the State Headquarters in Owerri.
He said that the state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Sylvia Agu, reported the attack in the early hours of Tuesday, adding that eight windows were smashed and burglary proofs removed.
“Fortunately, the attackers could not access the building, movable and immovable equipment as well as other materials were not removed or vandalised.
Meanwhile, Agu said, “Imo has nearly 300,000 uncollected PVCs in the 27 Local Government Areas from previous Continuous Voter Register (CVR) exercise in 2011 to December 2022.
“We have recently received and started distributing 85,729 PVCs from new registrations, 66,492 updates and transfers done from January to July 2022,” she said.
Agu also expressed concerns over the frequent attacks on the commission’s facilities in Imo.
According to her, the commission has suffered three attacks at Orlu, Oru West and INEC state head office within a space of two weeks.
“These attacks are of a great concern to the commission, considering its negative consequences on the commission’s preparations for the 2023 general elections,” she noted.
However, the REC said the attacks would not in any way disrupt the set electoral calendar of the commission.
She commended security agencies for responding timely to the attacks saying: “if not, the damage on these offices would have been more extensive.”
“However, as a precautionary measure, critical materials such as ballot boxes and voting cubicles have been evacuated to another INEC facility for safe keeping.
“Similarly, all uncollected PVCs have been secured, while security will be deployed to ensure the continuous collection of the cards by registered voters in the same premises,” he said.
Okoye said that the incident had been reported to the police and other security agencies for necessary action.
