Over thirty nine thousand Personal Voter’s Cards ( PVC), remain uncollected across the eight local government areas of Bayelsa State.
Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Bayelsa State, Mallam Isah Ehimeakhe made this known at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Professor Mahmud Yakubu Media Center at the INEC State Headquarters in Yenagoa.
Mallam Isah Ehimeakhe said at the moment, INEC is heading to a critical phase of Continuous Voter Registration Exercise as part of build up for the 2027 General Election in the country.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner who appealed to stakeholders to sensitize the people especially those who have just attained the age of eighteen to register, however regretted that over thirty nine thousand permanent voter’s cards have yet to be collected in the State from previous exercises.
Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, King Bubraye Dakolo represented by the Paramount Ruler of Peretorugbene, Chief Timi Odikeme urged INEC to do more consultations with the royal fathers to improve the number of registration and collection of PVCs.
Also see: Fresh Oil Spill Hits Renaissance Pipeline in Rivers
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Francis Idu represented by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in Charge of Operations, Mr. Odumo Williams expressed the readiness of the security agencies to ensure a smooth voter registration process.
While the State Director of the National Orientation Agency, Mrs. Grace Ebiakpo reiterated the readiness of the NOA to support the process, the State Chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council Mr. Simeon Imomotimi urged INEC to do more to ensure the registration of people in rural and coastal communities.
The State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Reverend Father Joseph Opelema, his counterpart from the Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Yakubu Otobo and other stakeholders at the forum emphasized the need for collaborative efforts by all key actors to ensure success of the electoral process.
The Meeting was attended by Chairmen and Secretaries of the registered political parties and members of Civil Society Organisations.
