Kogi, Bayelsa Primaries: September 5 Deadline Sacrosanct –INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reminded political parties fielding candidates for the November 16 governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States that no adjustment will be made to the September 5 deadline for conclusion of party primaries and resolution of disputes arising therefrom, as it urges voters in the two states to collect the permanent voters cards, PVCs.

It also enjoined parties to comply with deadline for the submission of list of candidates and personal data, fixed for September 9, at the INEC headquarters.

Rising from its meeting yesterday in Abuja where it reviewed preparation for the two out of term elections, the commission directed the Resident Electoral Commissioners in the two states to organize stakeholders meetings between 26 and 30 August to properly sensitize states and local government of the various parties on coming polls.

Putting the number of uncollected PVCs for Kogi and Bayelsa respectively at 170,644 and 49, 291, the commission directed those who are yet to collect their to visit the various local council registration areas (RACs), promising to send bulk SMS messages to those who have not collected the PVCs.

According to Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and chairman of Information and Voter Education, INEC trained distribution officers will soon commence distribution of the PVCs to local government areas and RACs. He added that collection of PVCs will commence from September 2nd- 30th when it will stop.

“There will be two teams of Distribution Officers per Local Government Area and the officers will rotate the distribution of the PVCs in the Registration Areas (RA) or from Community to Community based on a schedule agreed upon by the Resident Electoral Commissioner and the stakeholders.

“The Commission appeals to all registered voters who are yet to collect their PVCs to avail themselves of the opportunity to do so during this window to enable them vote at the elections as it does not intend to entertain any extensions due to the tight statutory timelines that it is bound to adhere to” he said.