200,000 undistributed PVCs in C’River, says REC

Uncollected Permanent Voter Cards in Cross River State is still in the
region of 200,000, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Okey
Ezeani, has said.
This came just as the Independent National Electoral Commission
disclosed that it had started the distribution of non-sensitive
materials, including ballot boxes to the 18 local government areas of
the state ahead of the general elections which starts next week.
Ezeani also used the opportunity to appeal to electorate in the state
to stop selling their PVCs in their own interests.
He spoke on Tuesday in Calabar during an interview with our correspondent.
He said so far, nine local government areas have received the
materials, which he mentioned as Calabar Municipality, Calabar South,
Akpabuyo, Bakassi and Akamkpa, while materials for Biase, Yakurr, Abi
and Obubra have also been distributed.
Ezeani said, "We have started distributing non-sensitive materials to
the local government areas. As I speak, we have sent those materials
to about nine local government areas. As you know, the terrain of the
state is such that we need to start the distribution early to avoid
lapses."
The REC said his office had received about 3,057 card readers which
have been upgraded and configured to ensure that the commission does
not have any reason to fail.
Firstclassnewsline.net
Speaking on the sale of voter cards, Ezeani said the act of buying and
selling of PVCs was borne out of ignorance, adding that Politicians
who are buying them were merely wasting their money.
"You are only disenfranchising people by buying their PVCs, because
you cannot use them for anything. It is worthless and a waste of
money. I advise people to stop selling their PVCs because nothing can
be done to circumvent this process," he said.
Firstclassnewsline.net