ABUJA – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied reports suggesting it plans to destroy over six million uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from past voter registrations.
In a statement posted on its X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, INEC clarified, “Our attention has been drawn to a report claiming the Commission intends to destroy over six million uncollected PVCs from the 2015 voter registration. This report is incorrect. At no time did the Commission contemplate such an action. The public is advised to disregard the story.”
INEC has recently advocated for alternative voter identification methods to improve the electoral process. During a quarterly consultative meeting in Abuja, INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu proposed the use of computer-generated voting slips for accreditation in addition to PVCs, citing the integration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
“Those with PVCs can still use them to vote, but moving forward, voters can be accredited using slips generated by the Commission or downloaded from its website. This approach will reduce costs and eliminate issues around PVC collection and electoral malpractice involving voter cards,” Yakubu stated.
The Commission also emphasized its commitment to reforming the electoral process and ensuring inclusivity while addressing concerns raised by stakeholders during its review of the 2023 general election.
