INEC may burn unclaimed PVCs before general elections

Dr Rufus Akeju, the new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, says the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering burning unclaimed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before the 2019 general elections.
Akeju told newsmen on Monday in Akure  that all attempts had been made by the commission  thorough sensitisation campaign to  reach out to the affected voters  to collect their PVCs.
He said the  commission was  making efforts almost on daily basis for voters to get their PVCs, adding that the commission may be  compelled to resort to burning of the cards or destroying them to check being used to  manipulate  elections.
The REC said that the burning process would be made public for all Nigerians to witness.
Akeju said that a total number of 1,659,186 are eligible voters and 1,288,722 cards had  been distributed so far, adding that 370,464 are  unclaimed.
He also said the commission was doing everything possible to ensure  a credible election that would meet with  global best practices.
“ We now have new and improve data capturing for moderate and effective capturing.
“We have introduced additional card readers in case one is malfunctioning in a particular unit,’’ he said.
The REC solicited  the support of all journalists in the state, saying  they remain  major stakeholders in educating the general public.
He, however,  urged journalists  to report  accurately stories they gather  from INEC offices in the state without  bias.
The Chairman of  the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state, Mr James Sowole,  promised that the union would continue to support the commission in its activities.
Akeju was the immediate past REC in Osun State before his posting to  Ondo State.