The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has lost 4,503 Permanent Voter Cards to hoodlums in five local government areas of Akwa Ibom State, Resident Electoral Commissioner, Austin Okojie, has said.
Of the 4,503 PVCs snatched, Abak LGA lost 664; Ikono, 96; Mkpat Enin, 208; Oruk Anam, 2333; and Ukanafun, 1202 to hoodlums.
Okojie, who addressed traditional rulers during a state summit on peaceful conduct of 2015 elections in Uyo on Tuesday, revealed that 1,468,780 permanent voter cards were sent to the state.
“We had a security issue where a total of 4,503 of the permanent voter cards were snatched during the exercise in five local government areas of Akwa Ibom State,” he said.
Presenting status of the PVC distribution, he stated that 1,177,910, representing 80 percent of PVCs have been distributed, leaving a balance of 284,915 to be claimed.
Okojie urged the traditional rulers in the state to ensure free, fair, peaceful and credible elections by using their positions to appeal to members of their communities to go for their cards between now and the next four weeks to enable them exercise their voting rights during the forthcoming elections.
The commissioner, however, said that with the introduction of card readers to authenticate real owners of each voting card, no snatched card will be useful during the elections as defaulters would be screened out of the exercise.
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