Ondo 2024: INEC Says About 300,000 Voters’ Cards  Uncollected

By Ayodele Oni

Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Ondo State has announced that the Voters’ Registers will be presented to political parties on Tuesday.

This is just as the Commission announced that no fewer than 295,603 PVCs are still uncollected

Addressing journalists on Akure, on Monday, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola assured that all parties will be given level playing ground to operate.

She stated that over 11,000 security personnel from Police, Immigration, Civil Defence and other security agencies, have been trained to oversee the conduct of the election on November 16th.

“The timetable and the schedule of activities for Ondo state governorship election slated for 15th October, 2024 for the presentation of the Official Register of Voters to political parties in line with the provisions of section 10(4) of the Electoral Act, 2022 which provides:

“You will recall that the Commission conducted a Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) Exercise between 27th May 2024 . At the end of the exercise, there was a significant increase in registered voters across the state.

“58,708 new voters were registered. In addition, 3,132 voters transferred their registration into and within Ondo State, while 123 voters transferred their registration within and out of Ondo State.

“The harmonized total number of new registered voters with the old registered voters is now 2,053,061.

The Register of Voters is a vital document that contains the details of all eligible voters for the election.

“The register is the foundation of electoral credibility. It plays a pivotal role in ensuring that every eligible voter can exercise their civic duty.

“In line with statutory requirement to publish and provide copies of the voter register to all political parties, the Commission will present the updated register to political parties on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at the INEC Conference Room in Akure, starting at 9:00 a.m.

“I encourage political parties to seize this opportunity, as it reflects the Commission’s commitment to transparency and ensuring a level playing field.

“It is also an excellent moment to enhance voter education and sensitization efforts, enabling the electorate to critically engage with party manifestos and make informed choice.

“I am pleased to announce that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Ondo State will commence from 17th October, 2024.

“This exercise will begin at the Registration Area (RA) level until October 21st , 2024, including the weekend.

“PVC distribution will take place across all 203 RAs in the state, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily after which it will continue at the Local Government Area (LGA) level from 23rd to 29th October, 2024. PVCs will be distributed at designated collection centers across all 203 Registration Areas within the state’s 18 LGAs.

“I urge registered voters, especially those who recently updated their details or are newly registered, to take advantage of this opportunity to collect their PVCs. I also encourage those who had previously registered but are yet to collect their cards to use this window to do so.

“Please note that INEC is fully committed to ensuring a smooth and accessible PVC collection process, I, therefore, encourage all eligible voters to make sure they collect their cards, as timely distribution of PVCs is expected to enhance voter participation and help guarantee a credible and inclusive election.”