A total of 19,538 out of the 52,013 eligible voters that registered during the Continuous Voter’s Registration (CVR) exercise in Edo State between June 2021 and January 2022 may not received their Permanent Voter Card (PVC), according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Head of Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Mr Timidi Wariowei who disclosed this at a Media and Stakeholders Summit in Benin City attributed the development to irregularities which made their PVCs registration invalid.
The summit, with the theme, “Roadmap to Credible, Transparent and Peaceful Election in Edo State was organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council in collaboration with Media Plus Communication ahead of the 2023 general elections.
According to him, the 19,538 invalid registration is relatively small compared to what was obtainable in other states.
He attributed the invalid registration to multiple registration by eligible voters, ignorance, misplaced PVCs which occasioned fresh registration and fresh registration due to relocation to new places of residence, instead of transferring the PVC.
He disclosed that, by invalidating the registration, INEC has not disenfranchised anyone.
He however disclosed that more people turned out for PVC registration during the second phase which lasted from January to July, 2022.
Chairman of NUJ, Edo State Council, Comrade Festus Alenkhe said that the summit was to deepen journalists participation in the 2023 general elections.
He urged journalists in the state to be professional in their coverage and reportage of election matter and uphold the Electoral Act.
In attendance at the summit were heads of various security agencies, candidates and representatives of various security agencies, as well other stakeholders in the 2023 general elections
