FEW months to next year’s general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised the alarm that politicians were purchasing Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to rig and mar the credibility of the elections.

  The allegation came at a time voters across the 774 local government areas of the country were expected to collect their PVCs between December 12 and January 27, next year.

  The Acting Chairman of INEC and National Commissioner overseeing the Federal capital Territory (FCT), Nasarawa, Kaduna and Plateau states, Mohammed Haruna, who raised this alarm recently during the launch of #YourVoteMatters project by an election observer group, NESSACTION, in Abuja, said the Commission had secured the conviction of two persons in Sokoto and Kano states for illegally possessing PVCs.

  He stressed that politicians now buy PVCs and warned voters not to sell their cards for any reason, as it is a punishable electoral offence, adding: “Some of you are aware that only recently, INEC managed to convict two people who were found guilty of illegally possessing PVCs in Kano and Sokoto.

  “So, I urge people to collect their PVCs, keep them safely and make sure you go out there and cast your votes on the election day because you cannot vote without your PVCs.”