By Aaior K. Comfort

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced an extension for the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in Edo State, pushing the deadline from September 13 to September 15, 2024. This decision, made on Wednesday, aims to give voters additional time to collect their PVCs ahead of the upcoming governorship election.

In a statement issued by Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, the extension follows an interactive meeting held on September 11, 2024, at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub in Benin City. The meeting included political party chairmen, candidates, traditional and religious leaders, security agencies, civil society organizations, and the media.

During the meeting, stakeholders collectively urged INEC to extend the PVC collection period to ensure that more eligible voters can participate in the election. INEC responded by granting a three-day extension, allowing voters to collect their PVCs from Friday, September 13, to Sunday, September 15, 2024, at the commission’s 18 Local Government offices across the state from 9 AM to 5 PM daily.

INEC has emphasized that there will be no collection by proxy, urging all registered voters who have not yet collected their PVCs to take advantage of this extended window.