The number of Permanent Voter Cards in Oyo State is 28,539 higher than the number of registered voters in the state.

While the aggregate of available PVCs is 2,962,646, the number of registered voters stands at 2,934,107.

A record obtained from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s office in Ibadan, the state capital, showed that 2,176,352 PVCs had been collected.

But the commission’s Head of Publicity in the state, Mr Olayiwola Awolowo, explained the causes of the discrepancy in the figures.

Awolowo explained that some of the owners of the uncollected PVCs were dead, while others had transferred their details to their new locations.

He also stated that non-sensitive materials had been distributed to INEC offices across the local government areas in the state.

He said sensitive materials were at the Central Bank branch in the state, adding that they would be distributed at the appropriate time.

Awolowo said, “The total number of uncollected PVCs is 786,294 while 2,176,352 PVCs have been collected.

“The total number of registered voters is 2,934,107. The difference in the figures of the PVCs and registered voters is because some owners of the uncollected PVCs are dead while some have been transferred.

“All the sensitive materials have been distributed to the INEC offices across the state. As for the sensitive materials, they are still with the CBN. We will call party agents and journalists to witness the distribution of the materials as soon as we are ready.”

Awolowo stated further that all INEC offices in the state had been secured against attacks by security agents, adding that the commission was fully prepared for the Saturday presidential and National Assembly elections.

He said 946 card readers were available as backup for those that might malfunction during the exercise, adding that 1,607 new polling units had been created across the state to ease the process.

The spokesman restated INEC’s position that voters would not be allowed to enter voting cubicles with their smartphones in order to prevent them from taking pictures of ballot papers after casting their votes.

He added that any individual found with between N100,000 and N200,000 around polling booths would be considered to be attempting to buy votes. (Punch)