INEC Reports Over 52,000 Uncollected PVCs in Bayelsa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reported that 52,225 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) are uncollected in Bayelsa State. This information was disclosed during a stakeholders’ meeting in Yenagoa, attended by electoral officials, political parties, security agencies, and civil society organizations.

Isah Ehimeakhe, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Bayelsa, emphasized the importance of collecting PVCs to maintain the credibility of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections. Ekeremor Local Government Area has the highest number of uncollected PVCs at 12,023, followed by Sagbama with 10,080.

Ehimeakhe acknowledged the challenges faced by residents in riverine communities, such as transportation costs, and called for collaboration among stakeholders to facilitate PVC collection. A representative from the Peoples Democratic Party urged INEC to implement practical measures to ease the collection process for remote communities and to regularly publish statistics on voter registration and PVC collection.