INEC releases number of PVCs collected ahead of Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released detailed statistics on collected and uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) on a polling unit basis in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states on Monday.

This follows a Commission meeting on Monday to discuss current preparations for the off-cycle governorship elections in three states set for Saturday, November 11, 2023.

“As was done in recent elections, including the 2023 General Election, the Commission is publishing the comprehensive information of collected and uncollected  Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in the three States on polling unit basis.

“The information also gives the distribution of the polling units by Local Government Areas, Registration Areas/Wards, the names of the polling units, their code numbers, number of registered voters and the number of collected as well as uncollected PVCs.

“Equally significantly, the list provides the names and locations of the two polling units in Bayelsa State and 38 in Imo State without registered voters.

“The breakdown for the three States indicates that out of 1,056,862 registered voters in Bayelsa State, 1,017,613 have collected their PVCs and 39, 249 are uncollected. In Imo State, the number of registered voters is 2,419,922 out of which 2,318,919 have collected their PVCs and 101,003 are uncollected, while in Kogi State, out of 1,932,654 registered voters, 1,833,160 have collected their PVCs and leaving 99,494 uncollected,” a statement by INEC National Commissioner, Sam Olumekun read.

The Commission appealed to all stakeholders to note the information that any vote from a polling unit in excess of the number of PVCs collected amounts to over voting.

It added that the number of PVCs collected shall be used for the computation of the margin of lead principle.