INEC distributes 95 per cent PVCs in Akwa Ibom

Over 95 per cent of Personal Voter Cards (PVCs) have been distributed to eligible voters in Akwa Ibom State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in readiness for the March 28 and April 11, 2015 general elections.

Briefing journalists, accredited to cover the elections in the state on Tuesday in Uyo, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Barr. Austin Eni Okojie, stated that extra number of Card Readers have been received by the state office of INEC, “in case of any eventuality.”

The REC, who was charging the accredited media practitioners on “The Responsibility of individual Journalist” and “The Responsibility of Media Organisations” during and after the elections, gave the title of his presentation as “Code of Election Coverage.”

Answering questions from the reporters, Okojie, also disclosed that sensitive materials have arrived at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), branch in Uyo, “and will be collected by the state INEC on Wednesday (today), for prompt distribution to Local Government Area offices of the Commission.”

On the controversial “go back home after casting your vote” directive, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gabriel Achong, who was at the briefing, explained that "to put the matter to rest, any voter who may decide to wait, should move 300 metres away from the polling stations after voting.”

The CP stressed, “If you want to stay around, you have to keep your cool and be a gentleman, but if you don’t behave well, you will be picked up” by the security agents, adding, “No person is forcing you to stay, no person is forcing you to go.”

In his remarks at the briefing, the State Council Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Elder Patrick Albert, assured that the journalists “will report the elections creditably,” pointing out that “whatever affects the elections positively, affects the journalists positively, and whatever affects the elections negatively, also affects the journalists negatively.”

•Photo shows PVCs.