By ZUBAIRU IDRIS

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says over 389,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), are still unclaimed in Kano State.

Prof. Riskuwa Shehu, the state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said this when the Federal Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Alhaji Ahmad Dadinkowa, visited him on Thursday in Kano.

Shehu, represented by the state INEC Administrative Secretary, Alhaji Garba Lawan, said that the PVCs were those produced from 2011 to 2018.

“People were reluctant to come and collect their PVCs, hence the need for all stakeholders to assist in sensitising the voters to go and collect their own before the general elections,” he said.

The REC said that 569, 103 new voters were captured in the state at the just-concluded Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).

“This is in addition to the already existing 5.4 million voters registered before the 2019 elections.

“With the 389,000 uncollected PVCS and the registration of over 569,000 new registrants, we will have about 1 million PVCs waiting to be collected before the 2023 General Elections,” he said.

Shehu urged all stakeholders to assist the commission in mobilising people and collect their PVCs.

He said that the CVR would resume after the 2023 elections.

The REC said that before the 2019 elections, the state had about 8,017 polling units and over 3,000 voting points.

According to him, INEC converted those voting points to full-pledged polling units.

“So, now in Kano, we have 11, 222 polling units to be used during the 2023 elections.

”This was achieved with the contribution of all the stakeholders, that is, the traditional institutions and political parties, among others,” he said.

Shehu stated that the commission has initiated various reforms in the electoral process with a view to ensuring credible elections.

He also urged stakeholders to assist in sensitising the people against electoral violence and vote-buying.

Earlier, Dadinkowa, said that the visit was to seek for partnership with INEC to ensure free, fair and credible 2023 general elections. (NAN)

Update news