The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that 246,000 Permanent Voter Cards have yet to be claimed by Abuja residents.
The new FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alh. Yahaya Bello, said the PVCs consist of backlogs from the 2011, 2014 and 2016 registration exercises.
Speaking during a courtesy call on the FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello, on Tuesday in Abuja, the REC called on the residents to come forward to collect the cards so that they could exercise their civic obligations.
The commissioner noted that FCT electorate, from his observations, have demonstrated clear enthusiasm towards the forthcoming polls, a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to FCT Minister, Cosmas Uzodinma said.
“Alh. Bello, however, lamented that the commission still has many uncollected PVCs (a backlog of over 246,000 arising from 2011, 2014 and 2016 exercises) and called on the residents to come forward to collect these cards in order to be able to perform their civic obligations, the statement read.
It explained that Bello disclosed that more individuals, especially those who have just attained the voting age of 18 as well as people coming for transfers have been participating in the voter registration exercise.
Bello until his appointment was a former Commissioner of Information in Plateau State and former Regional Manager North of the Daily Times of Nigeria.
The FCT minister in his response expressed his administration’s readiness to partner with INEC to sensitize residents to collect their PVCs.
The minister, who was represented by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Chinyeaka Ohaa, said, “We are going to work with all the stakeholders: the Area Councils, Traditional Rulers as well as faith-based and community organizations to ensure that people take advantage of the ongoing exercise to register, in order to be able to vote in the forthcoming elections.”
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