The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday extended the deadline for the collection of permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) to February 8, 2015.

Prior to the extension, the collection of PVC was meant to have ended on January 31.

In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC’s chairman, Kayode Idowu, the commission said: “This supersedes the earlier deadline of Saturday, 31st January 2015, and is intended to give registered voters yet to collect their PVCs the opportunity to do so in readiness for the February 2015 general election.

“INEC hereby calls on duly registered persons not to delay in going to collect their cards before the expiration of the new deadline.

“The commission reaffirms its determination to make the 2015 elections free, fair, credible and peaceful; and urges all stakeholders, including voters, to spare no effort in working towards the same objective.”

Last week, INEC said it had distributed over 42.77 million PVCs to eligible voters expected to vote in the general election.

The figure represents 62.15 per cent of the total number of registered voters of 68.3 million.

A breakdown provided by the commission showed that 1,020,997 (73 percent) had been distributed in Abia State; Adamawa - 1,239,820 (79 percent); Akwa Ibom -1,328,714 (79.05); and Anambra - 1,222, 002 (62.25)

Others are Bauchi - 1,745,441 (84.97); Bayelsa - 386,125 (63.26); Benue - 1,132,187 (56.18); Borno - 999,470 (56.18); Cross River - 776,977 (66.09); Delta - 1,422,595 (62.52); Ebonyi - 714,351 (66.50); Edo - 1,046,960 (58.63); Ekiti - 492,869 (67.33); Enugu - 738,933 (51.70); FCT - 459,913 (52.18); Gombe - 873,698 (78.0); and Imo - 682,046 (37.24).

In Jigawa, 1,460,620 (79.76) registered voters have collected their PVCs; Kaduna - 2,976,628 (87.36); Kano - 2, 612,400 (52.50); Katsina - 2,245,303 (79.40); Kebbi - 1,232,357 (83.8); Kogi - 773,197 (57.24); Kwara - 711,920 (62.33); Lagos: 2,267,039 (38.39); Nasarawa - 850,619 (66.45); Niger - 1,250,379 (62.07); Ogun - 666,752 (36.4); Ondo - 824,715 (54.09); Osun - 995,562 (70.75); Oyo - 1,156,593 (47.88); Plateau - 1,141,260 (57.01); Riverrs - 1,253,606 (49.40); Sokoto - 1,211,717 (75.17); Taraba - 1,079,383 (80.51); Yobe - 740,336 (67.31); and Zamfara - 1,045,855 (69.92).

The commission further stated that it had distributed 145,000 card readers that are expected to be used in the 119,973 polling units nationwide.