The number of uncollected Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) is 7,920,129 as at March 22, 2018.
In a figure released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Lagos State had the highest number of uncollected PVCs with 1,401, 390. Only 20,002 persons had collected their PVCs from 2015 till March 22, 2018.
Lagos is followed by Oyo with 647,586; Edo 449,001; Ogun 426,890; Osun 413,009; Imo 379,060; Rivers 374,254; Ondo 370,214; FCT 262,057; Kogi 249,749; Kwara 237,466 and Ekiti 220,923.
The States with the least statistics of uncollected PVCs were Bauchi 15,542; Plateau 25,300; Bayelsa 28,533; Taraba 42, 062; Gombe 46,019; Jigawa 50, 884; Zamfara 55,062; Ebonyi 57,526; Katsina 61, 985; Kebbi 70,034; Borno 84,609; Yobe 86,025 and Adamawa 92,266 among others.
In a related development, INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu, yesterday, swore-in seven new RECs recently appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The new RECs who were appointed for an initial term of five years with effect from April 18, 2018, are Dr. Emmanuel Alex Hart, Mohammed Magaji Ibrahim, Dr. Cyril Omorogbe, Dr. Uthman Abdulrahman Ajidaba, Mr. Segun Agbaje, Baba Abba Yusuf and Yahaya Bello. The INEC chairman who told the RECs to maintain openness and consultation as election managers, also urged them to be firm and courageous on the side of the law at all times as required of an unbiased umpire.
He said the commission would organise four by-elections this year to fill vacancies in Takum State Constituency in Taraba State, Lokoja/Koton-Karfe Constituency in Kogi State, Bauchi South Senatorial District in Bauchi State and Katsina North Senatorial District in Katsina State, as well as governorship polls in Ekiti and Osun states.
