PVCs Should No Longer Be The Sole Requirement For Voting, Says INEC

PVCs Should No Longer Be The Sole Requirement For Voting, Says INEC

As the country prepares for future elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed…READ MORE…

that voters who do not possess Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) should be allowed to use computer-generated voting slips.

During a quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja, INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu stated that PVCs should not be the only requirement for voting, especially with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

Yakubu explained that following extensive consultations both internally with INEC officials and with major stakeholders, the commission has compiled a comprehensive 524-page report on the 2023 general elections. From this, they identified 142 recommendations addressing various aspects including election preparedness, voter management, education, political party management, and electoral logistics.

He noted that 86 of these recommendations require administrative action from the commission, while 48 involve multiple stakeholders, such as security agencies, political parties, and civil society organizations. Additionally, eight recommendations will necessitate legislative action by the National Assembly, with plans for INEC to present these to the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters soon.

A key focus of the report is the need for legal clarification concerning result management, particularly in differentiating between manual and electronic transmission of results. Yakubu emphasized that, with the implementation of BVAS, the reliance on PVCs for voter accreditation on election day ought to be reconsidered.

“Voters who already possess PVCs can continue to use them,” he said, “but in the future, computer-generated slips issued to voters or downloaded from the commission’s website will be sufficient for voter accreditation. This change will not only reduce costs but also address challenges related to PVC distribution and the unethical practice of purchasing cards from voters to disenfranchise them.”

The report also recommends early voting for individuals, such as INEC officials, security personnel, and journalists, who cannot vote due to their election-related duties. Furthermore, it suggests facilitating diaspora voting, restructuring the commission by establishing an electoral offences tribunal, and creating a separate agency for political party registration and regulation. The commission also plans to enhance voter access to polling units.

Yakubu concluded by stating that INEC aims to urgently develop procedures for updating the voter register in collaboration with agencies such as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Population Commission (NPC).

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