The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports claiming it plans to destroy more than six million uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from past voter registrations.
In a statement responding to a recent newspaper publication, INEC clarified its stance, urging the public to disregard the report.
“Our attention has been drawn to a newspaper report that the Commission is contemplating the destruction of over six million uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) going back to the 2015 voter registration. The report is incorrect. At no time did the Commission contemplate the destruction of uncollected PVCs. The public is advised to discountenance the story,” the statement read.
INEC also addressed ongoing discussions to improve the voting process ahead of future elections. During the quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja last month, INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu suggested that PVCs should no longer be the sole requirement for voter accreditation.
Yakubu highlighted the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) as a revolutionary step in voter identification, proposing alternative solutions to streamline the process.
“The Commission also believes that with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the use of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) as the sole means of identification for voter accreditation on Election Day should be reviewed,” Yakubu stated.
“Those who already have the PVCs can still use them to vote, but going forward, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or even downloaded from the Commission’s website will suffice for voter accreditation. This will not only save cost, it will also eliminate the issues around the collection of PVCs and the diabolical practice of buying up the cards from voters in order to disenfranchise them.”
INEC has been engaging with stakeholders to review its operations following the publication of a 524-page report on the 2023 general elections. Among the recommendations was a proposal to resolve the longstanding issue of uncollected PVCs and improve voter participation.
