The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has commenced the probe of reports and videos of uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) discovered in inappropriate locations.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said this on Thursday in Abuja.
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The commission said it was reviewing the procedure for collecting PVCs to make it less cumbersome and more transparent.
Okoye said the commission had been informed of videos trending online of PVCs allegedly buried underground in some locations, including the compound of a high-profile person.
“The commission is not taking these allegations lightly. We have commenced immediate investigation and anyone found culpable in this diabolical scheme clearly intended to disenfranchise Nigerians will be sanctioned under the law.
“Every eligible Nigerian who is registered as a voter is entitled to his/her PVC.
“The constitutional right to vote in any election must never be suppressed or abridged in any way,” Okoye said.
He said as far as the record of the commission was concerned, PVCs had been printed for all valid registrants in Nigeria up to January 14, 2022 and delivered to all the states of the federation for collection by voters.