by crossriverwatch admin
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Cross River State at the weekend said it has taken delivery of Permanent Voters Card and materials for the Continuous Voters Registration exercise.
Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini, who confirmed the delivery, said a three-day collection exercise of the PVC had been fixed to commence at the polling units where electorates registered in 2011 in the state.
He said the exercise would commence from August 15 to 17, adding that to collect the PVC, registered voters must have been documented in 2011 with their names displayed.
He said, “You must bring your old Temporary Voters Card and must be physically present to collect PVC personally because your thumbprint as evidence of collection would be taken again and name must be on the distribution register. There shall be no proxy collection of PVC by husband on behalf of the wife or by sister for brother.”
The REC warned that offenders were liable to two years imprisonment for selling or buying PVC as well as denying the holder the right to vote since PVC could only be used by a legitimate voter’s biometric unique to the holder.
“After the PVC distribution, the CVR would take-off from August 20 to 25 respectively. The CVR is an exercise only for three categories of Nigerians namely ; those who have attained the of 18 years, those who did not register as at 2011 and those whose names are not on the Electronic Register and not issued PVC after the distribution exercise.
“At registration center, present either birth certificate, National identity card, national passport or any credible document to prove identity, age and nationality of self,” he said.
He enjoined the electorate to come out en-mass for the exercise, urging them to learn from the experiences of a man who had just completed six-month jail term in relation to electoral misconduct.
Igini warned all those that would participate in the forthcoming exercise of the severe five years imprisonment under section 24(2) of the Act on conviction for the offence either of preventing or hindering people from registering during the exercise by way of threats of any kind or by duress.
He said receiving the PVC and participation in the forthcoming CVR was the only means of participating in the 2015 elections, adding that the no-PVC no-access to voting would be applied in that exercise.
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