The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the low rate of collection of permanent voter cards (PVCs) by the Lagos residents is worrisome.

The state resident electoral commissioner, Olusegun Agbaje, said this on Thursday at the eighth annual constituency stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos.

The meeting, according to NAN, was organized by the Lagos house of assembly to stress the importance of PVC collection ahead of the 2023 general election.

Agbaje was represented by Emmanuel Adegboyega, an INEC official, during the meeting held at Eti-Osa II constituency.

He said over one million PVCs are yet to be collected, adding that only 6,382 out of 34,242 PVCs were picked up after the continuous voter registration (CVR) in the first and second quarters of 2022.

“The low rate of PVC collection in Lagos state is worrisome as only 6,382 PVCs out of 34,242 received from the commission’s headquarters for the first and second quarters CVR had been collected by their owners,” Agbaje said.

“This is just 18.6 percent; similarly, for the old PVCs, a total of 1,091,157 are still uncollected by their owners.

“Also, voter apathy that has characterized past elections in the state where only 1,156,590 out of 6,570,291 registered voters, that is, 17.6 percent participated in the 2019 general election in the state.”

Gbolahan Yishawu, the member representing Eti-Osa constituency II, said: “We are trying to sensitize our people to ensure that they go and get registered and not just registered but to collect their voters’ card.

“You saw me carry out an exercise trying to see how many people have actually registered and have got PVC.

“You cannot vote with your slip, you must get your PVC, that is the essence.”

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has assured that actions are being taken to address the grievances of party members.

Atiku, in a series of tweets, said all party members, including governors are much loved and respected by him.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will remain united. Focus on our actions. We are taking action to address the feelings of all party members,” he wrote.

“The unity in our community is my priority. Our resolve to unify Nigeria starts in our party and moves to the community, then on to society.

“Every Governor, Legislator, and other elected officials produced by our party, and party members and loyalists, are much loved and respected by me.

“When they speak, I listen. I do not only listen. Appropriate actions have been taken, are being taken, and will continue to be advanced.”

The former vice president’s remark comes amid increasing disaffection in the party over his decision to name Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta State as his running mate.

The governors and other stakeholders had recommended Nyesom Wike, Rivers State governor for the position.

Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, had on Wednesday, expressed reservations over Atiku’s decision to name choose Okowa instead Wike.

Wike came second in the party’s presidential primary election which took place in May.

Ortom had said he was “fasting and praying” for divine guidance before deciding to support Atiku’s candidacy.

“All of us have our weapon; Wike can be ‘something something’ but when it comes to mobilisation, impact, value addition and reaching out to make sure that the party works the man is an instrument. He’s somebody who stood for the party and made sure that things worked. Some of us believed in him, but unfortunately, it was somebody else. But the party is supreme,” he said.

“However, some of us have resorted to prayers. I have been in hibernation. We’ve resorted to prayer: ‘Lord God, where do we go from here.’ I believe as a Christian that power belongs to God. The Bible says a man can receive nothing except it is given to him from above.”

Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti State also said on Wednesday, that Wike would not support the former vice president’s presidential ambition over the development.

The Senate has confirmed seven people nominated as ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari.

They were confirmed on Wednesday following a screening at the upper chamber of the National Assembly. The exercise was presided over by Senate President Ahmed Lawan.

The development came days after President Buhari appointed the ministers and wrote to the Senate, seeking their confirmation.

Four of the newly-confirmed ministers are from four south-east states; with one appointee each from the north-west, south-west, and south-south regions.

The new appointees include Henry Ikechukwu – Abia State, Umana Okon Umana – Akwa-Ibom State, Ekuma Joseph – Ebonyi State, Goodluck Nana Obia – Imo State, Umar Ibrahim Yakub – Kano State, Ademola Adewole Adegorioye – Ondo State, and Odo Udi – Rivers State.

They were named following the resignation of some cabinet members who quit their positions to seek elective posts in the just-concluded primary elections of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi; ex-Akwa Ibom governor, Godswill Akpabio; Ogbonnaya Onu, and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba were among ministers who resigned to contest for the APC presidential ticket – which none of them won.

Their resignation was in line with the provisions of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act which mandates that “no political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election”.