INEC: Over 1m PVCs printed for Lagos in 2019 yet to be collected

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says no less than 1,096,355 permanent voter cards (PVCs) printed before the 2019 elections for Lagos state are yet to be collected.

Olusegun Agbaje, INEC resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Lagos, made this known at a stakeholder meeting on Thursday.

“Let me also inform you that some permanent voter cards (PVCs) of those that registered prior to the 2019 general election are still available at all the 20 LGAs for collection by those who are supposed to have done so,” he said.

“It is important to point out that a total of 5,626,537 PVCs were collected by their owners before the 2019 general election out of 6,728,394 PVCs received in the state leaving a balance of 1,101,557.

“Out of the remaining ones, 5,202 had so far been collected since the beginning of the CVR exercise last year.

“A total of 1,096,355 PVCs are yet to be collected as we speak. I want to use this opportunity to urge all those that are yet to collect their PVCs to go to the INEC offices in the LGAs where they registered to do so.

“All PVCs issued by INEC are valid to be used to vote in all elections conducted by INEC including the 2023 general election.”

The REC said those who have registered online without completing the physical capturing exercise will not be eligible for PVCs and cannot vote in 2023.

“So far, a total of 112,127 eligible citizens have completed their registration as of March 21 in Lagos State since the beginning of the CVR in 2021,” he said.

Agbaje called on party leaders and the media to assist INEC in educating voters to register or transfer their registration to the new polling units.