Plateau Gov. Jonah Jang has advised residents in the state to come out en mass to collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) whenever INEC started issuing the cards.

Jang made the call in Jos on Thursday at a stakeholders’ forum organised by INEC to herald the distribution of the PVCs .

The governor urged those who had not registered to do so whenever the continuous voter registration commenced.

Jang, represented by Mr Emmanuel Gwogwim, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, said that democracy was a game of numbers and nobody should be left behind.

Plateau Gov. Jonah Jang has advised residents in the state to come out en mass to collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) whenever INEC started issuing the cards.

Jang made the call in Jos on Thursday at a stakeholders’ forum organised by INEC to herald the distribution of the PVCs .

The governor urged those who had not registered to do so whenever the continuous voter registration commenced.

Jang, represented by Mr Emmanuel Gwogwim, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, said that democracy was a game of numbers and nobody should be left behind.

He said that only those with PVCs would be allowed to vote in 2015 and subsequent elections and urged the people to turn out for exercise.

Jang urged INEC to mobilise and sensitise the people on forthcoming collection of PVCs and continuous voters’ registration.

He also urged the commission to ensure that materials for all polling units in the state were brought to the state in ongoing delineation of polling.

“Ensure that Plateau gets its own fair share of the polling units,” he said.

Mr Habu Zarma, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Plateau, said the forum was aimed at educating stakeholders on INEC’s preparations for the 2015 elections.

Zarma said that INEC engaged in series of activities to ensure greater participation of citizens in the electoral processes and to provide a level playing ground for all participants.

According to him, no date has been fixed for the distribution of the PVCs in the state, but would be carried out in three days in all polling units.

He said that people, who could not collect their cards within the period, should go to INEC office in local government offices to collect them.

He said that continuous voters registration was meant for those who attained the age 18 years, those who could not register in the last exercise in 2011 and those registered in 2011, but their records were not complete.

Zarma said that the continuous voters registration would be conducted only at ward levels.

He said that 1,542 new polling units had been allocated to plateau in the creation of 30,000 polling units nationwide.

He said that with this situation, Plateau which had 2, 631 polling units, would now have 4,173.

“Similarly, the commission is the process of relocating all polling units that are not in public buildings.

“These are those located in palaces, private residences, and places of worship and in the same vein, polling units which do not have required minimum voter population may be relocated to places of need,” he said. (NAN)

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Jang urges Plateau Voters to collect Permanent Voter Cards