INEC Dismisses False Claims of Destroying Uncollected PVCs

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refuted circulating reports that it plans to destroy over six million uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). In a statement released on Sunday, the commission dismissed the claims as false and advised the public to disregard the misinformation.

“We have become aware of a newspaper report suggesting that the Commission is considering destroying more than six million uncollected PVCs dating back to the 2015 voter registration. This report is incorrect,” INEC clarified. “At no point has the Commission considered destroying uncollected PVCs. The public is advised to ignore this story.”

The clarification comes amid ongoing discussions around the future of voter identification methods. INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, had previously announced in December 2024 that the commission planned to introduce computer-generated slips for voter accreditation, signaling a potential shift in how voter identification is handled during elections. Yakubu explained that the integration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) necessitated a review of the PVC’s role as the exclusive method of identification on election day. The commission intends to present its recommendations for electoral reforms to the National Assembly in the near future.

Before the 2023 presidential election, INEC reported that 87,209,007 PVCs had been collected nationwide, which represented 93.3 percent of the 93,469,008 registered voters. However, 6,259,229 PVCs, or 6.7 percent, remained uncollected at the time.

The statement from INEC aims to quell any concerns and reassure the public that no drastic measures regarding uncollected PVCs are under consideration.