The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports alleging plans to destroy over six million uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
In a statement posted on its verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, @inecnigeria, the electoral body urged the public to disregard the story circulating in certain media outlets, excluding Techeconomy.
The reports claimed that INEC was considering a policy to withdraw and destroy PVCs that had remained uncollected for a decade. This proposal was purportedly one of 208 recommendations arising from the commission’s review of the 2023 general elections.
According to the newspaper report, the move was motivated by the persistent challenge of unclaimed PVCs, with over six million cards remaining uncollected as of the 2023 elections. Many of these cards, the report stated, were issued as far back as 2015.
Stakeholders in the post-election review were said to have recommended that INEC address this backlog by implementing a policy to withdraw PVCs uncollected for extended periods. The rationale behind this suggestion was to unclog the voter management system by removing cards unlikely to be claimed.
INEC, however, categorically refuted these claims, stating:
“Our attention has been drawn to a newspaper report that the commission is contemplating the destruction of over six million uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) going back to the 2015 voter registration. The report is incorrect. At no time did the commission contemplate the destruction of uncollected PVCs. The public is advised to discountenance the story.”
The commission’s clarification underscores its commitment to transparency in voter management and addresses public concerns over the future of uncollected PVCs.
