In the forthcoming general elections in 2027, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that it is willing to permit eligible Nigerians who do not possess Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to cast ballots.
The commission did stress, though, that such a move would necessitate legislative changes to the existing legal system.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, the INEC Chairman’s chief press secretary, reaffirmed the commission’s dedication to utilizing technology to increase voter access in an interview with Punch on Wednesday.
He emphasized, nonetheless, that any departure from the existing PVC-only system would require the backing of suitable legislative amendments.
“What matters is not our stand-alone. What is stated in the existing law is equally important. The law must be changed to reflect the commission’s positive opinion of stakeholders’ suggestion that PVCs should not be the sole criterion for casting a ballot in an election, according to Oyekanmi.
Following comments made by INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu at a quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners in December 2024, there is a demand for a more inclusive voter accreditation process.
Yakubu emphasized how technology, in particular the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), is becoming more and more important in improving the voting process.
Naija News reports that he pointed out that while PVCs will remain valid for voters who possess them, future elections could allow voters to use slips generated by INEC or downloaded from its official website for accreditation.
This, he argued, would reduce costs, ease logistical challenges, and address the problem of PVC misuse.
“The commission also believes that with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, the use of the Permanent Voters’ Cards as the sole means of identification for voter accreditation on Election Day should be reviewed.
“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, but 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,” Yakubu explained.
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