With the Osun State governorship election less than a month away, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to commence the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to eligible voters across the state ahead of the poll.
The exercise is aimed at ensuring that newly registered voters, as well as those who applied for transfers, replacement of lost or damaged PVCs, or updated their voter records during the recently concluded Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, receive their cards before election day.
In a statemen issued on Monday, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun State, Oluwatoyin Babalola, said the distribution will begin on Wednesday, July 22, at the state’s 332 Registration Areas (RAs) and run until Tuesday, July 28, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. daily, including weekends.
She said the exercise will thereafter continue at INEC’s Local Government Area offices across the state from Wednesday, July 29, to Friday, August 7, also between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. each day.
Babalola reminded voters that the collection of PVCs is strictly personal, stressing that collection by proxy is prohibited and constitutes an offence under the Electoral Act.
She urged all eligible voters to collect their cards within the stipulated period, noting that the PVC remains the only valid means of accreditation for voting in the August 15 governorship election.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a free, fair, credible, inclusive and transparent governorship election in Osun State.