INEC reveals 300k PVCs uncollected in Imo, says attacks are of great concern

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says there are about 300,000 uncollected permanent voter cards (PVC) in Imo state.

Sylvia Agu, the resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Imo, said this at a stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday in Owerri, the state’s capital. 

She said the commission had received and started distribution of 152,221 PVCs from the new registrations between January and July 2022.

“Imo has nearly 300,000 uncollected PVCs in the 27 local government areas from the previous Continuous Voter Register (CVR) exercise in 2011 to December 2022,” she said.

“We have recently received and started distributing 85,729 PVCs from new registrations, 66,492 updates and transfers done from January to  July 2022.”

Agu said the incessant attacks on the commission’s offices in the state are of “great concern”.

She said the attacks will not in any way disrupt the electoral schedule in the state.

“These attacks are of great concern to the commission,  considering its negative consequences on the commission’s preparations for the 2023 general elections,” she added.

“If not, the damage on these offices would have been more extensive.”

In the last few weeks, there have been repeated attacks on INEC facilities in the state.

Less than 15 hours ago, TheCable reported that the state has recorded four attacks on INEC facilities in the space of three weeks.

By virtue of the attacks, thousands of permanent voter cards (PVCs), ballot boxes, and other election materials have been destroyed.