By Matthew Tabe
Less than 90 days to 2023 General Elections, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Plateau state, Dr. Oliver T. Agundu, has appealed for media collaboration to ensure free, fair and credible polls in 2023.
He said that the state office has received 362,465 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), for onward distribution to prospective voters.
He disclosed this at a media briefings in Jos held at the state headquarters of INEC, saying that the media as critical sector to credible election, should help the umpire in its bid to ensure the right things were done.
“This humble request is imperative because of the unpredictable implications of fake news and false reportage in our increasingly volatile environment and increasing tendency towards mutual suspicion,” he said.
The REC said the challenges could be tackled if the media was collectively and genuinely committed in projecting the truth and reporting facts without yielding to compromise for pecuniary and material gains to the detriment of common good.
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“We have just taken delivery of another batch of PVCs totalling 362,465 of those that registered newly this year as well as cases of transfers and replacements,” he said.
Dr. Agundu said they would commence PVC distribution on December 12, 2022 to January 23, 2023 at the INEC offices of the 17 local government areas of the state.
“I wish to also inform you that before the end of the week we shall be receiving the Plateau share of BVAS which is now the most critical component of our electoral system,” he assured.
Dr. Agundu said as an unbiased umpire, the commission was committed to fairness, transparency and credibility in the conduct of their official business.