INEC to Destroy Over Six Million Unclaimed PVCs

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering a policy to withdraw and destroy Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) that have remained uncollected for up to a decade. This proposal emerged from 208 recommendations during the commission’s review of the 2023 general elections.

The initiative aims to address the persistent issue of unclaimed PVCs. Over six million cards remained uncollected as of the 2023 elections, including some issued as far back as 2015. Stakeholders suggested that withdrawing these older PVCs would alleviate the backlog and streamline voter management.

INEC explained that despite efforts to facilitate the collection of PVCs—including extended deadlines, devolving collection to ward levels, and partnerships with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)—many cards remain unclaimed. For instance, PVCs were made available from December 12, 2022, with the initial deadline of January 22, 2023, extended to February 5, 2023. Yet, millions of cards, particularly those issued in 2015, were not collected, leading to recommendations for their withdrawal.

In addition, INEC is exploring plans to modernize Nigeria’s electoral process. This includes phasing out physical PVCs and introducing diaspora voting. With the adoption of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), physical PVCs may no longer be necessary for voter accreditation. Instead, voters could use computer-generated registration slips or digital credentials downloaded from INEC’s website.

The BVAS, which stores the voter register digitally, eliminates the need for PVCs in biometric accreditation processes, which rely on fingerprints or facial recognition. However, for this transition to occur, Section 47(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 must be amended, as it currently mandates the presentation of PVCs for voter accreditation and voting.

The proposal underscores the need for legislative changes and reflects INEC’s commitment to improving the efficiency and inclusivity of Nigeria’s electoral system.