Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ondo State has said it may burn unclaimed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before the 2019 election.

Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Rufus Akeju, gave the hint on Monday in Akure while addressing journalists.

Akeju was REC in Osun before he was posted to Ondo. He has assumed duties in January.

He said despite attempts to sensitise voters to come forward to pick their cards, about 370,464 cards were ye to be claimed by their owners.

“The commission is making efforts almost on daily basis for voters to get their PVCs and if eventually some of them are not collected, the commission may decide to burn them or make them unusable so as to avoid using them to manipulate the coming election,” he said.

Ajeku said when the commission eventually decides on burning the cards, the process would be transparent and open for all to see.

He said that a total number of 1,659,186 are eligible voters and 1,288,722 cards have been distributed so far.

“We now have new and improved data capturing for moderate and effective capturing,” he said.

“We have introduced additional card readers in case one is malfunctioning in particular unit.”

He assured that the commission was prepared to deliver credible and improved elections in the future.

He solicited the support of journalists as stakeholders in the commission’s bid to succeed.

Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State, Mr James Sowole, who welcomed the new REC to the state, promised that the union would support the commission in the task of delivering credible elections.

PT