The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed a shift in Nigeria’s voting process, suggesting that Nigerians may no longer need to present their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to vote in future elections.
In a statement at the quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja on Thursday, INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu explained that computer-generated voting slips could replace PVCs as the main method for voter accreditation. He stated that PVCs should not remain the only requirement for voting in the country.
Yakubu highlighted that the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has made the voting process more efficient and could further simplify the accreditation procedure. He added that, following the completion of the off-cycle elections and the 2023 general elections, the time is now right to implement changes based on the lessons learned from the last polls.
He said, “The Commission believes that with BVAS in place, it’s time to reconsider using PVCs as the only means of accreditation. Voters who already have their PVCs can continue to use them, but moving forward, computer-generated slips or those downloaded from the Commission’s website will also be valid for accreditation.”
This proposed change, Yakubu noted, would not only help save costs but also address issues related to PVC collection and reduce the fraudulent practice of buying PVCs to disenfranchise voters.
(Politics Nigeria)
