Twenty-six days after it commenced the release of Permanent Voters Cards to legitimate registrants, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday further announced the devolution of the collection centres to the wards and registration areas to make the process seamless for voters. Also, the election management body INEC announced the establishment of a National
Twenty-six days after it commenced the release of Permanent Voters Cards to legitimate registrants, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday further announced the devolution of the collection centres to the wards and registration areas to make the process seamless for voters.
Also, the election management body INEC announced the establishment of a National situation room and the national collation centre where the results of the presidential election will be collated and announced with INEC Chairman presiding as the Chief Electoral Officer.
Activities are now on the upbeat towards the 2023 election. INEC had announced earlier that PVCs collection would commence on December 6th, 2022, and end on January 22, 2024. The collection up till now was limited to the 774 local governments in Nigeria. Though the process has been largely successful there have been a few complaints by people who recently registered and those who applied for transfer of voting locations.
Devolving the collection centres to the wards and registration areas would take the process closer to the people and decongest the large queues at INEC offices in the local government offices.
A statement from INEC National National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, announced that the commission is ready to expand the PVCs collection centres to 8,809 registration areas/wards from January 6 to January 15, 2023. The process will revert back to the Commission’s local government offices, before the end of the collection process on January 22, 2022, noting that the devolution was done to create easy access for Nigerians to get their PVCs in their various localities.
He also urged the recent registrants and the applicants for transfer to go to their respective wards or registration centres for the collection of their PVCs as their voters cards have now been made available
The statement reads: “It will be recalled that the Commission held a retreat in Lagos with all the Administrative Secretaries and Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) from the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory from 28th November to 2nd December 2022
“At the retreat, the Commission finalised the procedure as well as the timetable for collection of PVCs and consequently the collection of PVCs commenced in all the 774 Local Government Offices of the Commission throughout the Federation. The Commission also resolved to devolve PVC collection to the 8,809 Registration Areas/\Vards from Friday 6th to Sunday 15th January 2023.
“The devolution of PVC collection to the wards commences tomorrow 6th January 2023, and all validly registered voters who are yet to collect their PYCs are encouraged to seize the opportunity of the devolution to the wards to do so. After the 15th of January 2023, the exercise will revert to the Local Government Offices of the Commission until 22nd of January 2023. All eligible and valid registrants can collect their PVCs from 9.00am to 3.00pm daily, including Saturdays and Sundays. All those that applied for the replacement of lost, damaged, or defaced PVCs can collect their PVCs at the Registration Area/wards during this period and the same thing applies to those that registered prior to the 2019 general election and are yet to collect their cards
The PVCs of those that applied for transfer are available for collection in the Local Governments and Registration Areas where they intend to vote and not in the State or Local Government where they carried out the transfer Commission appreciates the patience and understanding of Nigerians who trooped to our various Local Government Offices to collect their PVCs.”, He stated.
Meanwhile the Independent National Electoral Commission has unveiled its National situation room and the national collation centre to project the results of the presidential election.
According to Mr Okoye the situation room and collation centre will be located at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja. He expatiated that the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu will be the head of the situation room and the collation centre, adding that it is within his constitutional duties.
The statement further enlisted 16 persons in the commission as members of the committee in charge of the situation room. According to him, the INEC chairman urged the members of the committee to perform their duties diligently.
The statement partly reads “As general elections approach, the Commission establishes a National Situation Room and Collation Centre where the results of Presidential elections are collated. Once again, the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja will serve as the venue for this important exercise.
“Accordingly, the Commission has established two committees for this purpose. First is the Collation Secretariat, where Presidential results from the States will be collated. This will be headed by the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in exercising his constitutional responsibilities as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Federation and Returning Officer for the Presidential election. In addition, a few technical staff will assist him.
“The second is the Situation Room and Collation Centre Committee, which shall be responsible for the preparation of the venue, seating arrangement, utilities and services, security, the accreditation of party agents, as well as the national and international observers, media, etc. The Committee has the following membership:
1. Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, National Commissioner – Chairperson
2. Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, National Commissioner – Member
3. Barr. Festus Okoye, National Commissioner – Member
4. Director, Electoral Operations – Member
5. Director, JCT – Member
6. Director, Planning and Monitoring – Member
7. Director, Security – Member
8. Director, Election & Party Monitoring – Member
9. Director, International Cooperation & Protocol -Member
10. Director, Research -Member
11. Director, Health Services -Member
12. Director, Estate, Works and Transport -Member
13. Chief Technical Adviser to the Chairman -Member
14. Special Adviser to the Chairman -Member
15. Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman -Member
16. Director, Commission Secretariat -Member/Secretary
“The Situation Room and Collation Centre Committee was inaugurated by the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who charged it to commence work in earnest and to discharge its responsibilities diligently”,Barrister Okoye stated.
