Residents of Ondo storm INEC office in demand of PVC

Prospective voters who wanted to pick up their Permanent Voter Cards, or PVCs, crowded the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC, offices in Ondo State.

The high number of potential voters who surrounded INEC offices and caused chaos was difficult for officials to manage.

Workers in the state were given Tuesday off work so they could pick up their PVCs, according to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

When Vanguard visited the INEC office, located at Oda Road, in Akure, registered voters had assembled as early as 5.30am in large numbers, struggling to get their PVCs for an exercise that commenced at 8am.

Those who spoke with newsmen lamented the difficulties faced during the collection of the PVCs, describing the process as cumbersome.

Many that were unable to collect their PVCs urged the state government to extend the work-free day to enable more eligible voters to collect their voter cards.

A registered voter, Mrs Margaret Akinwumi, who was yet to collect her card, expressed worry over the delay in the distribution of the PVCs.

Akinwumi said the process was stressful as many were yet to collect their PVCs.

The coordinator of WE VOTE NIGERIA, Mr Emmanuel Aje, in a chat, said the collection was tedious because the registered voters failed to turn out for the collection of their PVCs during distribution at the ward level.

Osifeso, said the commission was aware of the crowded registered voters at the local government offices of INEC for the collection of the PVC.

 Segun-Osifeso said: “The overcrowded registered voters were not the fault of the INEC staff, it was the fault of registered voters who decided to wait for the last minutes.”