The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that 80% of the permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) have been collected by registered voters ahead of the Sunday, March 8, 2015 deadline for its collection.
Making the announcement while speaking to journalists in Abuja, the National Commissioner in Charge of Publicity and Voter Education, Dr. Chris Iyimoga said elections would be held in 120,000 polling units and 155,000 voting centres, adding that all the smart card readers have been distributed and were in branches of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Iyimoga said: “I am delighted to report that as I speak to you, we have surpassed the eighty per cent threshold for the collection of the PVCs nationwide. We have distributed 55,234,874 PVCs to 68,833,476 registered voters.”
“As at Tuesday, February 12, 2015, we had received ballot papers meant for all the elections and taken them to the states. They are securely locked at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) vaults across the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), awaiting further distribution on the eve of each of the elections.
“We have also received and distributed all ballot boxes meant for the elections. As we speak, smart card readers have been distributed to the states – enough for all the polling units and voting points.
“Two states from each of the six geopolitical zones of the federation will be involved in the field testing which will take place simultaneously on Saturday, March 7, 2015.
“The states selected for the exercise are: Ekiti and Lagos, (South-west); Anambra and Ebonyi, (South-east); Delta and Rivers, (South-south); Kano and Kebbi, (North-west); Bauchi and Taraba, (North-east); Niger and Nasarawa, (North-central).
“In the course of the field testing, resident electoral commissioners (RECs) of the selected states are charged with the following tasks: selecting one registration area with full complement of the PVCs and with appreciable distribution level of such PVCs for undertaking the field test.
“Ensuring that the register of voters in respect of all polling units in the selected registration area is printed for the conduct of the exercise.
“Carrying out engagements with key stakeholders at the state level, and in particular, stakeholders in the selected registration areas where the exercise would be conducted to ensure massive participation by registered voters.
“The national commissioners are to supervise the conduct of the exercise in their zones and the RECs who are not selected for the exercise would also monitor the conduct of the exercise in their respective zones.”
