INEC distributes 38.7m cards

Original Post By http://thenationonlineng.net/

 January 9, 2015

 Written by Yusuf Alli, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued 54,341,610 and distributed 38,774,391.00 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in  35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The figure is 71.3% of the cards expected to be issued.

The commission has an outstanding 15,567,219 to be issued.

The distribution of the cards has just started in Borno State, where Boko Haram is in control of 20 local government areas.

The final list of registered voters, to be released on Tuesday, will determine the actual figure of those who will vote in the elections.

The nation expects about 70.3million voters to go to the polls as from February 14.

A breakdown of the top states on the  list is as follows: Kano (2,771,185); Kaduna (2,643,517); Lagos (2,159,091); Katsina (1,965,840); Bauchi (1,509,255); Jigawa (1,460,620); Rivers (1,253,606); Sokoto (1,211,717);  Delta (1,260,728); Akwa Ibom (1,177,910); Oyo (1,141,405);  Benue (1,132,187); Niger (1,089,002) Plateau (1,072,352);  Kebbi (1,035,780) and Abia (1,020,601)

They include: Ekiti (481,198); Osun(992,310); Bayelsa (370,062);  Enugu(662,445); Gombe (802,959); Kogi (755,775); Taraba (921,637); Zamfara (925,302); Anambra (862,747); Cross River (763,436); Ebonyi (687,402); and FCT (411,935).

The others are Kwara (670,694); Ondo (824,715); Yobe (740,336); Adamawa (912,312); Edo (930,276); Ogun (672,017); Nasarawa (799,991); Imo (682,046);

Speaking with our correspondent last night, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Mr. Kayode Robert Idowu said: “We have issued 54,341,610 PVCs to all the states. But the figure does not represent the total number of eligible voters for the 2015 poll. By the time we release the final register of voters next week, we will be able to tell the nation the actual figure.

“We are working round the clock to ensure that all those who were registered collect their PVCs. We are hopeful that most of them will have their PVCs.

“Eligible voters have up to January 31 to collect their PVCs. In fact, we are thinking of adding more days in February to enable Nigerians get these cards.

“The Electoral Act only stipulates when INEC can display register of voters. There is no time-limit law for the distribution of the PVCs.”

Kayode in an accompanying letter to the table, said: “The difference in levels of turn out by people for their PVCs is not the making of INEC since the commission has put in place the same procedure across the country guaranteeing equal access to persons waiting to collect their cards.”

“These figures are far from being final for the 2015 general election since PVC distribution by INEC continues until close to elections.”