PVCs No Longer Compulsory For Voting, Says INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will no longer be the sole requirement for voting in future elections. The announcement was made by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during a quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja on Thursday.

Yakubu explained that, with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), computer-generated voting slips could now be used for voter accreditation, especially for those without PVCs. He emphasized that while PVCs would still be valid for voting, the new system would eliminate issues related to PVC collection and the illegal practice of buying cards from voters.

In addition to this change, Yakubu revealed that INEC had completed a 524-page report on the 2023 general election, which includes 142 recommendations for improving the electoral process. These recommendations span areas such as voter management, election security, logistics, and election technology. A key highlight is the need for legal clarity on result management and the potential use of electronic transmission over manual methods.

Yakubu also mentioned other reforms being considered, including early voting for journalists and election workers who are deployed outside their registered voting areas. The commission is also exploring the possibility of allowing diaspora voting, enhancing voter access, and improving the efficiency of the voter registration system in collaboration with agencies like the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

Furthermore, INEC is planning to strengthen its efforts on voter education, particularly to combat misinformation, and will push for affirmative action to encourage greater participation from under-represented groups.

The reform initiatives aim to address several challenges identified during past elections, with a focus on improving transparency, accessibility, and overall election integrity.