Prof. Yakubu, INEC National Chairman
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has signaled its openness to enabling eligible Nigerians to vote without a Permanent Voter Card (PVC) in the 2027 general elections, provided that the move is supported by necessary legislative changes.
Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the commission is focused on improving voter access through technological innovations.
However, he emphasized that “any change in the voting procedure must be supported by corresponding legal amendments.”
“It is not our stand alone that is important. Equally critical is what the subsisting law says.”
“While the commission is favourably disposed to the recommendation by stakeholders (that PVCs alone should not be the only criterion for voting at an election), the law needs to be amended to reflect it,” Oyekanmi stated.
This position aligns with earlier comments made by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during a quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners held in Abuja in December 2024.
In his remarks, Yakubu stressed the growing importance of technology, especially the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), in enhancing the integrity and efficiency of Nigeria’s electoral process.
He said, “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.”
Yakubu further noted that individuals who already possess PVCs will still be able to use them.
However, he added that INEC is exploring alternatives such as computer-generated slips that could be issued by the commission or downloaded by voters from its official website.
“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,” he explained.
“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,” Yakubu added.
