February 26, 2018

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday said that 215,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were still unclaimed in Ekiti, five months to the July 14 governorship election.

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Prof Abdulganiyu Raji, said this while addressing newsmen in Ado Ekiti.

“We still have 215,000 PVCs that are yet to be claimed by the electorate, few months to the governorship election, despite our sensitization programmes.

“We are hopeful that the PVCs will be collected before the governorship election.

“Our aim is to have a large turn-out of voters like we witnessed in the governorship election held in 2014,” he said.
Raji said INEC had put in place mechanisms that would ensure a credible and transparent election in July.

“We are assuring the residents of Ekiti that the forthcoming governorship election in the state will meet international standards.

“We will improve on our existing records to the extent that all the political parties and stakeholders will have cause to commend us,” he said.
According to Raji, the commission has been partnering traditional rulers, religious organisations, political parties and the media to mobilise the electorate for the election.

“We have done several jingles on radio stations; also our officers are working in the 16 local governments areas of the state to sensitise the people ahead of the election,’’ he said.