The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says nearly all registered voters in Anambra State have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, announced in Abuja on Thursday that 2,769,137 out of 2,802,790 registered voters—representing an impressive 98.8 per cent—have picked up their cards.
Describing the turnout as “a significant achievement for any election in Nigeria,” Amupitan credited the success to INEC’s decision to extend the PVC collection window across all 326 Registration Areas.
“Initially, only 63.9 per cent of voters had collected their PVCs. But by extending the deadline to November 2, we’ve achieved a collection rate of 98.8 per cent,” he said. “All uncollected cards will now be safely stored at the Central Bank of Nigeria until after the election.
The INEC boss urged voters to turn out en masse, lamenting Anambra’s history of low voter participation—25.5 per cent in 2013, 20.1 per cent in 2017, and just 10.27 per cent in 2021.
“Democracy thrives when citizens actively choose their leaders. I urge everyone in Anambra to come out and vote without fear or favour,” he said, assuring residents of robust security measures across all 5,718 polling units, which will open simultaneously at 8:30 a.m.
Amupitan added that four National Commissioners and ten Resident Electoral Commissioners have been deployed to ensure smooth operations, while voters in security-challenged areas of Ihiala LGA will safely cast their ballots at the council secretariat under heavy security.
He warned against vote-buying, intimidation, or violence, saying offenders would face “swift, lawful consequences.”
INEC, he noted, has already read the riot act to its ad hoc staff and will sanction any officer found guilty of misconduct while rewarding those who perform diligently.
