With less than a week to the set deadline for distribution of Permanent Voters Cards, PVC, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared that 80% of registered voters in Yobe State have received their PVCs.

The spokesman of the commission in the state, Bagudu Nma, who made this assertion on Tuesday while speaking to journalists, stated that this was made possible by ensuring that collection centres were set up across the 17 local government areas of the state.

He also said that provisions have been made for Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, from the two affected local government councils of Gujba and Gulani, who are victims of the prevailing Boko Haram insurgency in the state, to exercise their voting rights.

According to Nma, two camps have been opened in Damaturu and Fika to cater for Gujba and Gulani voters respectively.

While touring the PVC collection centres in Damaturu, our correspondent noted the huge turn-out of registered voters who queued up for PVC collection.

Many of those on queue complained that the commission was understaffed and that more hands were needed if indeed the deadline was to be met.