The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is gearing up to start distributing Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) to voters who recently registered in Edo State. This is happening just ahead of the upcoming governorship elections. According to a statement released on Monday, INEC will kick off this distribution on Thursday, and the process will run from August 22 to August 26.
During this initial phase, voters can collect their PVCs at any of the 192 Wards scattered across Edo State. The collection points will be open every day, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, even on weekends. If you miss this window, don’t worry—INEC has a backup plan. Starting August 28 and running until September 8, the cards will be moved to INEC’s local government offices, where voters will still be able to pick them up.
The upcoming election in Edo State is scheduled for September 21, 2024. Recently, INEC wrapped up its Continuous Voters Registration exercise, during which 184,438 voters were registered. This total includes 119,206 new voters, 8,847 individuals who transferred their registrations from other states, and 46,171 who transferred within the state.
Speaking at a meeting in Abuja on Monday, INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu assured that all the freshly printed voter cards are now ready and have been sent to INEC’s office in Benin City for collection.
Prof. Yakubu addressed the Resident Electoral Commissioners, explaining that the distribution of PVCs is a key step in preparing for not only the Edo and Ondo governorship elections but also several bye-elections across six states. The focus is primarily on these elections, ensuring that all eligible voters have the opportunity to collect their cards and participate in the democratic process.
During his address, he gave a breakdown of the registration figures, reiterating that 119,206 people newly registered in Edo State. In addition to this, 8,847 people transferred their registration from other states, while 46,171 moved their registrations from one part of Edo to another. INEC also updated the records for over 4,800 voters who needed corrections to their details and replaced more than 5,400 lost or damaged cards.
The Chairman emphasized that all 184,438 voters who participated in the registration process are expected to receive new PVCs. To make this easier, INEC has compiled a register that includes names and photographs of all the voters, and this register is accessible online to help people locate their cards. Prof. Yakubu highlighted that voters must collect their PVCs in person—no proxies are allowed—to prevent any misuse of the cards. He urged everyone who registered to make sure they pick up their cards and to remember to vote on election day.
As part of the preparations for the Edo State governorship election, INEC will hand over a final register of voters to all the political parties involved in the election. This handover is scheduled for August 20, 2024, at the INEC office in Benin City.
Prof. Yakubu also mentioned that while INEC’s current focus is on the Edo election due to its upcoming date, they are working on the schedule for PVC distribution in Ondo State as well, where the governorship election is slated for November. Detailed arrangements for PVC collection in Ondo will be announced soon.
