193,000 PVCs remain uncollected in Kwara-REC

… records 43,008 invalid registration

By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin

The Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in Kwara State, Attahiru Madami has decried the poor response of the people of the state to Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) collection in the state.

The REC said that from 2011 to 2019 it had a total number of 233,856 uncollected PVCs, adding that only 20,752 have so far been collected as at October this year leaving over 193,000 uncollected.

Madami said this on Wednesday in Ilorin at a stakeholders meeting ahead of the 2023 elections.

“Of the 46,602 new PVCs received from the INEC headquarters in the state, only 18,885 had been collected with a balance of 27,602 awaiting collection.

“We are still having a lot of challenges in the state in terms of PVCs collection,” he said.

He added that the state had 43,008 invalid registration figures, one of the least, in the country.

Madami said that the state currently has 1,689,288 registration figures as opposed to 1,401,895 in 2019.

“Completed registration figures are 330,401 and valid registration figures are 287,393,” he added.

In his speech, the state Police Commissioner, Paul Odama warned politicians not to “feed” their supporters with hard drugs.

“Politicians should do well to embark on issue-based campaigns and no personality based campaigns. They should ensure that their followers are civil in all their actions. They should shun thuggery and damage to billboards of opposing parties.

“As enshrined in the Electoral Law, vote-buying and selling will not be allowed. 

“On our part, we will do all within our powers to support and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure that our democracy is firmly rooted in the country.

“Finally, the police and other security agents in the state have, at different times, strategized on how the elections will be free and credible,” he said.