INEC instructs voters on how to collect PVCs, sets early February deadline

Permanent Voters' Cards (PVCs) are ready for collection at designated Local Government offices from January 16 to 21, 2019, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says in a statement released on Friday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has announced a strict timeline for the collection of PVCs.

INEC officials will attend to prospective balloters at 8,809 registration centers across Nigeria. The commission has also made a provision to distribute the PVCs on weekends to aid speedy dispersal.

By Friday, February 8, the handing out of voters' card will be stopped, INEC confirms in the press release.

"There will be no extension for the collection of PVCs after the 8th day of February 8, 2019. All uncollected PVCs will be retrieved and kept in a secured place till the general elections are over," an item in INEC's press release reads.

INEC has confirmed that the distribution of PVCs will end on February 8, 2019.

Ahead of the polls in February and March, the electoral body has announced that there are 84 million voters in Nigeria.

This is contained in the National Register of Voters presented to 91 political parties in the country.

The commission's chairman Mahmood Yakubu, submitted the data at a quarterly consultative meeting with political parties in Abuja on Monday, January 7, 2019.

In this year's elections, voters are expected to choose their representatives on February 16 and March 2, respectively.