INEC extends PVC collection till 22 March

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has extended the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), hitherto scheduled to end today, by two weeks .

In a statement issued today, INEC said the exercise will continue across the country until 22 March, six days to the presidential election.

Ogun state still lags behind other states in the collection, with the cards not available in the principal cities of Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, among others. Governor Ibikunle Amosun clamoured on saturday for the extension of the collection deadline.

Announcing the latest extension, Kayode Idowu, chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, said:

“This latest extension offers the last opportunity for duly registered persons to collect their PVCs before the general election scheduled for March 28 and April 11, 2015,” he said. INEC urged “all registered persons that are yet to collect their PVCs to use this last opportunity in doing so, in order to participate in the forthcoming general election”.

At the weekend, INEC tested its card readers in some states of Nigeria, such as Rivers, Nasarawa and others.