.Commission gets new spokesman

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has resumed the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states ahead of the November 11 Governorship Elections in those states.

The commission also redeployed two Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to other States.

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Sam Olumekun disclosed these in a statement issued, Tuesday in Abuja.

Meanwhile, Olumekun was on Tuesday appointed the new spokesperson for the commission. He replaced Festus Okoye whose tenure ended recently.

He said: “In continuation of our preparations for the forthcoming off-cycle Governorship elections in Bayelsa, lmo and Kogi States, the Commission has approved the resumption of collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for registered voters who could not collect their PVCs before the suspension of the exercise on 5th February 2023 ahead of the last General Election.

“The current exercise only covers the three States where Governorship elections will hold on Saturday November 11, 2023.

“The PVCs will be available for collection at all our Local Government area offices in the three States: eight in Bayelsa, 27 in Imo and 21 in Kogi. In addition, the Commission has created other designated centres with large number of uncollected PVCs. The details of all centres will be made available by the Resident Electoral Commissioners in the three States.

“The Commission has earmarked week days (Monday – Friday) from 9.00am to 3.00pm for the collection of PVCs for a period of four weeks from 11th September – 9th October 2023.

Olumekun said the REC for Edo State, Obo Effanga, takes over in Bayelsa State in view of the forthcoming off-cycle Governorship election, while Professor Ayobami Salami moves to Lagos from Ekiti State.

“The two States are among those without RECs following the end of tenure of the last holders of the offices”, he added.

He urged all political parties and candidates to conduct themselves peacefully, adding that they should also avoid utterances and actions capable of causing a breach of peace in their ongoing campaigns.