The Independent National Electoral Commission has stated that it is prepared to permit eligible Nigerians without Permanent Voter Cards to cast ballots, but this action must be supported by legal changes in the general elections of 2027.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, the INEC Chairman’s chief press secretary, told The Intercept on Wednesday that the commission was dedicated to increasing voter access via technology, but underlined that any change from the existing PVC-only system would require an amendment to the law.
The idea was a response to comments made by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of INEC, at a quarterly consultative meeting with resident electoral commissioners in Abuja in December 2024.
Yakubu emphasised how technology, especially the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, is becoming more and more important in expediting the voting process.
He pointed out that although PVCs will still be valid for people who hold them, voters may be able to utilise slips produced by INEC or obtained from its official website in subsequent elections to get accreditation.
He said that this change will save expenses, alleviate administrative strains, and stop voter card abuse.
“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.
“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.
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“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 explained.
In an interview with The Intercept on Wednesday, Oyekanmi provided an update, emphasising that any modification to the voting process had to be backed by matching legislative changes.
“It is not our stand alone that is important. Equally critical is what the subsisting law says. While the commission is favourable 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,” he said.
