The Independent National Electoral Commission has extended the deadline for the collection of Permanent Voters Cards by one week. It will now end on Sunday February 5, 2023. The commission had previously announced January 29th as the deadline for the collection of the cards, this is the second time INEC will be extending the collection.

The PVC collection has been characterised by different complaints since the exercise started. The collection venues are thronged by multitudes of people, some of whom despite repeated visits to the centres, were unable to receive their cards. A lot of Nigerians have opined that INEC should extend the deadline for the collection while some advocated that PVC should be jettisoned for the purpose of this election. But INEC had responded that nobody would be able to vote without the PVC.

Apparently responding to the avalanche of complaints and with its determination to deliver credible polls, where nobody will be unjustly disenfranchised, INEC in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye on Saturday, noted that the commission took the decision to extend the collection deadline after deliberations with the Residential Commissioners with the aim of giving more citizens opportunity to collect their PVCs

He further stated that the commission’s new extension date will be the last opportunity for citizens to pick their cards before the general elections. He also noted that the commission will continue to ensure that all electorates have access to the PVCs.

The statement reads:” The Commission met today, Saturday, 28th January 2023 a day after its meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) from the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and deliberated on a number of issues, including the reports from RECs on the ongoing collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in its 774 Local Government Offices nationwide,” the statement reads.

“It will be recalled that at the meeting with RECs on Friday, 28th January 2023, the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu indicated that the Commission will not hesitate to consider additional measures to ensure that all citizens have ample opportunity to collect their PVCs ahead of the General Election.

“Having reviewed reports from all the States of the Federation, the Commission is encouraged by the progress made so far as more Nigerians troop out daily to collect their PVCs.

“Arising from reports from the various States and discussions with Resident Electoral Commissioners, the Commission has decided to further extend PVC collection in all its Local Government Offices nationwide by an additional one week.

“The ongoing collection of PVCs nationwide will therefore continue and end on 5th February 2023. This is the second time the Commission is extending PVC collection nationwide and this will be the last extension of the exercise.

“Collection period has further been extended by an additional two hours and will start at 9 am and end at 5 pm daily including Saturdays and Sundays.”