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| Prof Jega, INEC Chairman |
The
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has extended the deadline for
collection of Permanent Voter Cards to Sunday, February 8, 2015.
This
new date is contained in a statement on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to
the national chairman of the commission, Kayode Idowu.
Mr
Idowu, who explained that the new date supersedes the earlier deadline of
Saturday, January, 31, added that the extension was intended to
give those who had yet to collect their PVCs the opportunity to do so.
He
said, “We have taken delivery of all the PVCs, which is 68.8 million and they
have been sent to all the states for distribution to the voters. The last batch
of 3.4 million PVCs have been sent to the field for distribution to
the registered voters.”
Idowu,
who stressed that the commission was ready for the polls, enjoined
all registered persons to ensure that they collect their cards on
or before February 8.
“The
commission reaffirms its determination to make the 2015 elections free, fair,
credible and peaceful; and urges all stakeholders, including voters, to spare
no effort in working towards the same objective,” he said.
The
All Progressives Congress and the Labour Party has hailed the
commission for extending the PVC collection deadline.
“The
action is commendable. It is a sign that the commission is a listening body and
it is ready to conduct free and fair elections,” its National Publicity
Secretary, Lai Mohammed, told one of our correspondents.
The
party however asked the Federal Government to help the commission by declaring
a two-day public holiday to enable voters pick up their PVCs.
The
party said states under its control had agreed to declare public
holidays this week, but said each state governor would pick the dates they
prefer.
Also, the LP applauded the
commission for the extension, but wondered whether the one week extension would
be enough.
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