Atleast 6.7 million Nigerians are yet to collect their permanent voter cards (PVCs) as we get closer to the 2023 general elections.

Data obtained from the state offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission  revealed that 6.7 m PVCs were locked up in INEC safes across 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

INEC began the  the collection window for PVCs since December 12,2022 and to end on January 22.

The INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, disclosed in a statement that with effect from January 6 -15,2023  the collection of the PVCs will be devolved to the ward level after which collection would be moved to the local government areas.

The FCT has 460,643 uncollected PVCs as of December 24, while In Edo state, 661,783 voter cards have not been collected as of December 29. Ondo and Ekiti states accounted for  300,000 and 205,127 uncollected cards, respectively, as of December 15.

He explained that the collection of PVC is going on daily including Saturdays and Sundays (excluding public holidays) from 9am to 3pm at INEC offices across the 18 local government areas of the state.