INEC may burn unclaimed PVCs before 2019 elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission is considering burning unclaimed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before next year’s general elections.

Dr Rufus Akeju, the new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State told newsmen on Monday in Akure  that INEC is considering the option, since all attempts had been made in vain  by the commission  thorough sensitisation campaign to  reach out to the affected voters  to collect their PVCs.

He said the  commission was  making efforts almost on daily basis for voters to get their PVCs, adding that the commission may be  compelled to resort to burning of the cards or destroying them to check being used to  manipulate  elections.

The REC said that the burning process would be made public for all Nigerians to witness.

Akeju said in Ondo state,  1,659,186 people have been registered as eligible voters and 1,288,722 cards had  been distributed so far, adding that 370,464 PVCs are  unclaimed.

He also said the commission was doing everything possible to ensure  a credible election that would meet with  global best practices.

“ We now have new and improve data capturing for moderate and effective capturing.

“We have introduced additional card readers in case one is malfunctioning in a particular unit,’’ he said.

The REC solicited  the support of all journalists in the state, saying  they remain  major stakeholders in educating the general public.

He, however,  urged journalists  to report  accurately stories they gather  from INEC offices in the state without  bias.

The Chairman of  the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state, Mr James Sowole,  promised that the union would continue to support the commission in its activities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Akeju was the immediate past REC in Osun before his posting to  Ondo State.