From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday disclosed that it would commence distribution of permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) to their owners in Rivers State.
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, who disclosed this in Port Harcourt, said said due to series of elections in the state from 2015, the commission was unable to distribute the cards to their owners.
“It was because of series of elections we had, because if it was distributed at that time, parties would begin to accuse themselves, INEC and so on, of giving cards to rival parties against one another. So, we decided to hold a break on that.
“And now, that the elections seem to have gone, at least, beyond 90 percent, we have now, said again, we would not be fair to continue to delay, when other people in other states are collecting their PVCs,” the REC stated.
Ikoiwak said the commission would create a desk in the 23 local government areas for easy distribution of the PVCs.
“What we intend to do is to create a desk in all the councils, so that we know that, this staff staff is in-charge of a particular registration area. So, anybody who comes would go to that desk, knowing that, that area is for registration one, two and three. And the cards would be assembled in that other.
Meanwhile, INEC has fixed Saturday, February 25 for the conclusion of rerun legislative elections in the state.
Ikoiwak, in a statement released on Wednesday, said the elections would fill up the Etche state constituency II and Etche/Omuma federal constituency seats.
Ikoiwak further stated that the elections would hold in 147 polling units within the 19 registration areas (wards) in Etche council and one polling unit (Umuogba community I) and Omuma council.