Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed next week Monday to twenty second of next month for collection of PVCs.

According to INEC, the collection will be at the INEC Electoral Offices in the Local Government Areas.

Bayelsa State INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Emmanuel Hart, who disclosed this during a meeting organized by the commission on the procedure for collection of PVCs, however, said INEC would devolve to the Registration Areas and Wards from sixth to fifteenth of next month.

Dr. Hart, who was represented by INEC Bayelsa Administrative Secretary Mr. Ukok Mbong, said the commission would revert to the Local Government Area Offices from sixteenth to twenty second of next month and collection will be daily from nine 0’clock in morning to three 0’clock in the afternoon including Saturdays and Sundays.

Dr. Hart, who informed that the total number of registered voters in Bayelsa State is now one million two hundred and fifty thousand one hundred and two, said the PVCs have been sorted and counted by INEC Local Government Area Staffs and will be taken to the various INEC Electoral Offices in readiness for distribution.

The Bayelsa INEC REC who noted that the Commission’s staff have been briefed and trained on the procedures for the exercise to ensure it is seamless and hitch-free, said Help Desk Officers will be in each of the eight Local Government Area Offices to assist individuals with challenges.

He said the commission has contact phone numbers for each Electoral Office for enquiries about the Collection exercise and request for assistance.

For Brass LGA, the number is, 0812-119-3173, Ekeremor, 0811-340-8007, Nembe, 0816-796-9382 , while Ogbia, is 0704-681-4548.

The contact for Sagbama is 0703-330-9645, KOLGA ,0907-133-2292, Southern Ijaw, 0905-899-8002 and Yenagoa, 0902-196-3503.

The Bayelsa INEC REC, who reminded Political Parties of the submission of their Party Agent list in accordance with the timeline, on or before thirtieth of this month, for Presidential and National Assembly Elections and sixth of next month for State Assembly Elections, urged themto adhere strictly to the guidelines on campaign activities and eschew violence and hate speeches.

On her part, Director National Orientation Agency, Bayelsa State, Mrs. Patricia Maduemezia, said the agency is also assisting in sensitizing the people on the collection of the PVCs, while Comrade David West, of the Civil Liberties Organization, also stressed the need for INEC to tackle fake news, especially on social media.