The distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to duly registered persons in Osun State has been on-going since March 7^th, 2014, contrary to suggestions that there is a hindrance in the distribution of the cards.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) therefore urges every prospective voter in Osun State who is yet to collect his / her PVC to urgently do so, ahead of the state governorship election scheduled for August 9, 2014.  For avoidance of doubt, only registered voters with PVCs will be able to vote during the election.

This clarification is necessary against the backdrop of calls on the Commission in the last couple of days to ensure timely distribution of the PVCs. A political party had, at the weekend, accused INEC of being “painfully slow in processing the permanent voter cards;” while a non-governmental organisation, on Monday, urged the Commission to ensure timely distribution of PVCs before the governorship election – suggesting that the contrary is presently the case.

It should be recalled, however, that the Commission undertook polling unit level distribution of PVCs to registered voters in Osun State from Friday, 7^th March, 2014 to Sunday, 9^th March, 2014, simultaneously with the conduct of the exercise in Ekiti State.

In line with INEC’s guideline for the exercise, uncollected PVCs were at the end of the polling unit level distribution in March taken to respective local government office of the Commission in the state for subsequent issuance to legitimate holders. The distribution at the local government level has been on-going since then.

In other words, all PVCs yet to be collected are at the 30 local government offices of the Commission in Osun State, awaiting legitimate holders to come for them. But the Commission disallows proxy collection to prevent abuse of the cards by unscrupulous persons. Prospective voters in the August 9 election who are yet to collect their PVCs are therefore urged to do so in readiness for the election.