INEC Demands Review of PVC as Sole Means of Identification on Days of Elections

•To replace computer-generated slip with PVC  

•Begins to implement 142 recommendations on 2023 elections

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),has called for a review of  Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) as the sole means of identification on days of elections.

The electoral body added that those who already had the PVCs could still use them to vote, but that the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has made the review imperative.

It said going forward, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or even downloaded from the Commission’s website would suffice for voter accreditation.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this in Abuja at a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on  detailed issues of planning and reform learning from the experience of the 2023 general election.

He said having released our 524-page main report on the election, a copy of which was available on its website, the commission has consulted widely internally with its own officials and externally with all major stakeholders.

Yakubu stressed that with the conclusion of five major off-cycle governorship elections and nine out of 21 bye-elections since the 2023 general election, this was the most appropriate time to commence the implementation of the recommendations arising from our review of the General Election.

He explained that from the internal and external engagements, the Commission has identified 142 recommendations dealing with the general state of preparedness, voter management, voter education and public communication, political parties and candidate management, electoral operations and logistics management.

These also included election officials and personnel, partnership and collaboration, monitoring and supervision, election technology, voting and result management, election security, electoral offences and the electoral legal framework.

Yakubu noted that out of the 142 recommendations, 86 required administrative action by the Commission, saying it was therefore pertinent that the commission engaged first with RECs because of your frontline role in the implementation of the recommendations.

He said this was followed by 48 recommendations that required action by a variety of stakeholders, including security agencies, mobile network operators, statutory bodies, political parties, transport unions, civil society organisations and the media.