With less than one year to the 2019 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has taken delivery of 123,848 permanent voters cards in Plateau State.

According to INEC, reports from its field officers have revealed a smooth exercise in all the 17 Local Government Area in Plateau State.

The Head of Publicity and Voter Education Department in Plateau INEC, Osaretin Imahiyereobo, told journalists in Jos that the distribution of the PVCs commenced in the 17 LGAs on May 21.

According to him, the PVCs were for those voters who registered with INEC between April and December 2017.

He said, “The exercise was flagged off at the Jos South Local Government office of INEC by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Hussaini Halilu Pai. This was followed by the monitoring of the exercise in Barkin Ladi and Riyom LGAs by the National Commissioner supervising Plateau State, Prof. Anthonia Simbine.

“A breakdown of the PVCs received in Plateau State shows that Jos South LGA has 21,045, followed by Jos North with 15, 113; Wase, 11,118; Shendam, 10,990. Jos East LGA has the least number of PVCs.

“Reports from the various LGAs is mixed with response in the collection of the PVCs. While reports from Jos North, Jos South and Wase LGAs showed initial enthusiasm in the number of PVCs collected, other LGAs has not shown marked improvement.

“So far Jos North has the highest rate of collection with 625, followed by Jos South, 520; Kanam, 485. Other available figures are Quan'Pan, 143, Riyom, 20, Langtang North, 96, Wase, 44, Shendam 144, Barkin Ladi, 300 and Pankshin, 36.

“Apart from the distribution of the new cards, others who registered before the 2015 elections are also collecting their cards. Other CVR activities such as registration, transfers, corrections and replacements are going on simultaneously.”