Number of PVCs exceeds total registered voters in Oyo

The number of Permanent Voter Cards in Oyo State is 28,539
higher than the number of registered voters in the state, The PUNCH
reports.

While the aggregate of available PVCs is 2,962,646, the number
of registered voters stands at 2,934,107.

A record obtained by our correspondent from the Independent
National Electoral Commission’s office in Ibadan, the state
capital, on Thursday showed that 2,176,352 PVCs had been
collected.

But the commission’s Head of Publicity in the state, Mr
Olayiwola Awolowo, explained the causes of the discrepancy in the
figures.

Awolowo explained that some of the owners of the uncollected
PVCs are dead, while others had transferred their details to their
new locations.

He also stated that non-sensitive materials had been distributed
to INEC offices across the local government areas in the state.

He said sensitive materials were at the Central Bank branch in
the state, adding that they would be distributed at the appropriate
time.

Awolowo said, “The total number of uncollected PVCs is 786,294
while 2 176,352 PVCs have been collected.

“The total number of registered voters is 2,934,107. The
difference in the figures of the PVCs and registered voters is
because some owners of the uncollected PVCs are dead while some
have been transferred.

“All the sensitive materials have been distributed to the INEC
offices across the state. As for the sensitive materials, they are
still with the CBN. We will call party agents and journalists to
witness the distribution of the materials as soon as we are
ready.”

Awolowo stated further that all INEC offices in the state had
been secured against attacks by security agents, adding that the
commission was fully prepared for the Saturday presidential and
National Assembly elections.

He said 946 card readers were available as backup for those that
might malfunction during the exercise, adding that 1,607 new
polling units had been created across the state to ease the
process.

The spokesman restated INEC’s position that voters would not be
allowed to enter voting cubicles with their smartphones in order to
prevent them from taking pictures of ballot papers after casting
their votes.

He added that any individual found with between N100,000 and
N200,000 around polling booths would be considered to be attempting
to buy votes.