”Over 400, 000 PVCs of Lagosians still at INEC Headquarters” – INEC REC
The Lagos State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that about 400, 000 Permanent Voters Cards were still being expected from the headquarters.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Akin Orebiyii, while pleading with people whose cards have not be transferred, implored them to be patient with the commission, assuring that the outstanding cards would soon be delivered.
“As at the first week of January, the percentage of distribution of PVCs was hovering around 38 per cent, but as at the end of last week, it was 62.7 per cent.
“But, we are still working seriously because we know that quite a number of people are still yet to collect their PVCs; we want to make sure that they are able to collect these cards.
“As we speak, out of 5,905, 000 cards for Lagos State, we have distributed 3,654,000, but I also need to say that out of 5.9 million, we are still awaiting the arrival of about 400,000 cards.
“As soon as we are able to receive them, we will also be able to push them out so that people can come out to collect them. We are expecting additional cards in practically all the 20 Local Government Areas.”
Orebiyii said that commission had outstanding cards in some polling units in Oshodi-Isolo, Mushin, Ibeji-Lekki, Ikeja, Ifako-Ijaiye, Badagry, Ikorodu, Agege, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Eti-Osa, Apapa, Ojo, Lagos-Island, Kosofe, Surulere, Amunwo-Odofin, Somolu and Epe.
“Also, in Alimosho, we want to urge our people to continue to exercise patience, especially in Shasha, Akowonjo, Idimu, Isheri-olofin, Ikotun, Ijegun, Egbe, Agbojo as well as Ipaja.
“These are the specific areas where we are expecting cards, but we have been given assurance from our headquarters that as early as Monday next week, these cards would start arriving.
“Again, we want to appeal to our people to kindly continue to bear with us and exercise patience; we are working to ensure that these cards arrive in time.”
He also said that over 1.8 million PVCs were yet to be claimed in the state, encouraging people who had not collected their cards to pick them up before the deadline on March 8.
He also said that the state had received over 12,000 Smart Card readers and they were being configured specially to each polling unit in the state.
“Each smart card reader is configured to work only in a particular polling unit; it cannot work in any other where it is not configured for and no person can use another person’s card.
“The issue of stealing or buying cards will come to naught; we want to beg our people to desist from buying cards.
“The issue of cloned cards will not work on that day, if anyone comes with a fake card, such will answer some questions from the law enforcement agents,’’ he said.
