The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wil begin the collection of permanent voter cards (PVCs) for the Ondo State governorship election on Thursday, October 17.
The initiative aims to ensure that eligible voters have their PVCs in hand well before the poll.
In a statement released on Monday, Sam Olumekun, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, confirmed that PVCs for all registrants have been printed and are ready for distribution.
“A total of 89,777 new PVCs from the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise have been printed. This includes 58,708 for new voters, and 31,069 for applicants seeking transfers, updates, or replacements of lost or damaged cards,” he noted.
Olumekun outlined the collection process, emphasizing that PVCs will be available at two distinct levels. From October 17 to October 21, eligible voters can collect their cards at 221 designated centers across all 203 wards in Ondo State. Following this period, the collection will continue at INEC’s 18 Local Government Area (LGA) offices from October 23 to October 29, operating daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, including weekends.
“During this time, we will also make available the backlog of uncollected PVCs from previous registrations at the designated centers,” Olumekun added, encouraging voters to take advantage of this opportunity.
INEC has stressed the importance of personal collection, as cards will not be issued to individuals collecting on behalf of others. “We urge all registered voters in the state to come and collect their PVCs in person during the specified dates. No cards will be collected by proxy,” he reiterated.
To assist voters in locating their respective collection points, INEC has made detailed information available online. “Location addresses for the Ward and Local Government collection centers have been uploaded to our website and social media platforms to ensure public awareness,” the statement explained.
In addition to providing physical access to the PVCs, INEC has committed to enhancing transparency by pasting the register of new voters at each collection center and uploading the complete collection register to their website. “This will facilitate easy identification of names and collection centers, ensuring a seamless experience for voters collecting their PVCs,” Olumekun stated.
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