From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, will commence the distribution of the Permanent Voters’ Cards, PVCs, in Edo State on November 7.

Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Baritor Kpagih, who disclosed this to journalists at the state headquarters of the commission in Benin, said that the exercise, will last for three days and would take place at designated polling units across the state.

Kpagih explained that the PVCs would be distributed from 8am to 4pm to voters who registered in 2011 and have their names in the INEC voters’ register.

He said that eligible voters must collect the PVCs personally at the appropriate polling units, as the cards would not be given out to proxies.

Voters who misplaced their temporary voters’ cards, according to him, are to visit their original units of registration to fill an attestation form in order to get the PVC, while uncollected PVCs would be transferred to INEC’s local government offices for subsequent collection by the affected voters.

He, however, urged eligible voters to maximize the dates set aside for the exercise to avoid inconveniences.

Kpagih explained that voters on transfer from their original units of registration but have their temporary card, would get the PVC at their new units after undergoing a data aggregation process.

Fresh voters’ registration would commence from November 13 to 17 at designated centres across the wards in the state for persons who turned 18 after 2011 and persons who did not know that they were eligible to register.
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He noted that the Continuous Voters’ Registration, CVR, would commence from 9am to 4pm while those who registered but do not have their names on the register would be given an incident form to fill before they are given the permanent cards.

The REC, however, urged already registered eligible voters not take part in the CVR to avoid the risk of double registration, having their data deleted or criminal implications.

He also charged parents and politicians to refrain from fielding ineligible voters during the exercise.