Hoodlums obstruct PVC distribution in Edo

As the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) started distributing the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) at the ward level on Friday and Saturday, there was some disruption to the collection of PVCs in some areas of Ikpoba Okha Local Council in Edo State.

The disruption took place in five wards in the state, according to a statement made by Timidi Wariowe, the head of INEC Voters' Education in Edo State, in Benin City, the state's capital.

The statement read: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Edo State, has received reports of unruly incidents between yesterday (Friday) and today (Saturday), which degenerated to the disruption of the collection of PVCs and threat to officials and materials in the following Registration

Areas (RAs)/Wards: “Ward 01 at Iwogban/Uteh; Ward 05 at St. Saviour’s School; Ward 07 at Ugbekun; Ward 06 at Maria Goretti College; RA 09 at Obanyator, with Army Children’s School and Ogheghe health centres respectively, as the actual centres.

“In the meantime, INEC Edo State has decided to move the collection centres for Ward 1 and Ward 9 to the INEC Local Council Office in Ikpoba Okha, while the staff withdrew from Ward 5, Ward 6 and Ward 7 are making their way back to their collection centres to continue with the activity, on the assurances the Electoral Officer has received from the DSS of their presence in those locations. INEC has equally informed the Police Command about the situation.

“INEC wishes to remind citizens, especially community leaders, of the need to ensure the safety of INEC officials and materials, as deployed to the various communities to ensure that every voter collects their PVCs and are able to vote in the election.

In the meantime, the commission said that 26,095 potential voters had gathered their PVCs before the general elections between January 1 and January 7, 2023.

This was also stated in a statement made accessible by Timidi Wariowe, the INEC's Edo State Head of Voters Education.