The deadline for collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) has been shifted to Sunday, January 29 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This is to ensure that every registered voter has ample opportunity to collect their PVCs ahead of the forthcoming polls.
While INEC has since commenced the distribution of PVCs at the various ward levels in all the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, many cards are still yet to be collected.
INEC lamented the low rate of PVC collection across states. Owing to this, Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had enjoined governors of all APC controlled states to declare January 24 as work-free day to aid collection of PVCs.
In a quick move, the Lagos State Government declared four-day work-free day for public servants from January 24- January 27, 2023 for different grade levels of workers in the public service.
Also, Abia Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, declared Monday, January 23 and Tuesday, January 24 as public holidays. Ekiti Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, also declared Tuesday, January 24, a work-free day in the state.
Each registered voter is expected to go to the state where he or she was registered, and locate the local government area (LGA) and the LGA code with registration area name (RA Name and code) and the collection centre.
Voters who applied for PVC can go to their centres with any of their temporary voter card or photocopied driving license or photocopied National Identity Card or passport photo for collection of their cards.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to collect your PVC:
- Whether as a new or existing registered voter, you are to visit the state where you registered.
- Take the slip given to you during voter registration along.
- Locate the INEC office that was specified in the slip within your local government area (LGA).
- When you get to the INEC collection centre, newly registered voters are to present the slip given to them to the officials. At the same time, voters who also applied to change their voting location are required to submit their slips.
- Meanwhile registered voters with temporary voter’s cards are advised to go to the INEC office in the LGA to exchange their temporary voter’s card for a permanent voters card.
