The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it would commence the distribution of the Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) to the electorate in Kogi State from November 6 to November 11 while that of Bayelsa State is expected to be between November 13 and 19.
The INEC’s Deputy Director in charge of Publicity, Mr. Nick Dazang, confirmed the commencement of the exercise to journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.
Under the timetable earlier approved by INEC for the governorship elections in the states, the process of transfer of voters in Kogi State would end on October 6, 2015, while that of Bayelsa State was to end on October 20, 2015.
This is in line with the commission’s directive that all transfers of voters should be concluded 45 days ahead of the Kogi and Bayelsa State governorship elections scheduled for Saturday November 21 and Saturday December 5, 2015 respectively.
The commission said the 45 days deadline was to enable it effect the integration of the transferred names into the Register of Voters which is to be certified and published not later than 30 days to each of the two elections.
It explained that under the INEC rule, a person who has relocated to another place outside the (polling) unit in which he/she registered cannot vote in his/her new location unless he/she transfers his/her registration.
“Accordingly any person who intends to transfer his/her registration should write an application to INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kogi or Bayelsa State through the Electoral Officer (E.O.) of the local government Area where he/she is currently residing.
“Such application should contain the current address of the applicant (as this will assist in allocating the polling unit (PU) nearest to him/her) and the applicant should attach a photocopy of his/her Permanent Voter Card (PVC) to the application,” the commission said.
