Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
About 132,626 unclaimed Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) are still unclaimed across the 21 local government areas in Anambra state, Ikengaonline reports.
This was made known by Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in charge of Anambra State, Mrs Elizabeth Agwu, during stakeholders’ meeting at the Commission’s state secretariat, Awka, yesterday.
Disclosing the number of unclaimed PVCs in each of the local governments, the INEC boss described the situation as unhealthy for entrenchment of democratic governance in the state.
Mrs Agwu said she deliberately convened the meeting so that the Commission and critical stakeholders will jointly plan on how to ensure that the 2023 general election would be conducted free, fair and credible.
Mrs Agwu pleaded with traditional rulers and town union leaders to assist in sensitising registered voters in their respective communities to go to the INEC offices in their local government to collect their PVCs.
She said, “beginning from today, the commission’s local government offices in the state will be open daily from morning till 6pm, including on Saturdays and Sundays to enable those who have not collected their PVCs to go and collect them.”
From the statistics reeled out by the commissioner, Ogbaru Local Government Area has the highest number of unclaimed PVCs with a total of 16,755; Idemili-North has 16,256; Aguata 12,675; Onitsha South 12,274; Onitsha North 9,990; Nnewi North 8,700; Anambra East 7,717; Oyi 7,582; Njikoka 7,009, Anaocha has the least number of only 885 unclaimed PVCs.
Unclaimed PVCs in other local governments are as follows: Orumba South 6,566; Awka South 4,539; Ihiala 4,058; Ekwusigo 3,350; Orumba North 2,393; Nnewi South 1,841 and Awka North 1,543 unclaimed PVCs.
