1.5m to vote in Kwara as 218,078 PVCs remain uncollected
By Mosunmola Ayobam, Ilorin
Kwara State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mallam Garba Madami has said that 1,565,829 voters will participate in Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly as well as the 11 March governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.
Madami stated this while speaking with Westernpost correspondent in his office on Tuesday in Ilorin.
He said the commission recorded 85% collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) from new registrants during the continuous voter’s registration exercise.
According to him, 218,078 uncollected PVCs will be returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
He added: “There is need to decongest some polling units and migrate electorate to where there are lesser voters so we can have between 500-750 or 800 within the same area as we maintain the same 2,887 polling units in the state.”
Madami said the uncollected PVCs will be made available after the election as continuous voter registration, which has been suspended woulde start in July.
“The uncollected PVCs will be returned to the CBN. We have about 218,078 uncollected PVCs, while 415,860 have been collected. This captured the uncollected PVCs from 2015 till date. For 2015 alone, we have 166,266 uncollected PVCs,” he said.
He disclosed that sensitive materials like ballot papers, BVAS and report sheets would be distributed to the various local government areas on Thursday.
The REC added that the commission is experiencing cash challenges, which is being sorted out, adding that arrangements are in top gear with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) to supply fuel to vehicles meant for the distribution of election materials for smooth exercise.
