Opposition party warns that delays in making voter cards available could disenfranchise newly registered Nigerians…..
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to publish a detailed nationwide schedule for the production, distribution and collection of Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the 2027 general election.
The opposition party said Nigerians who completed the recent voter registration exercise should not be left uncertain about when and where they can collect the cards required to participate in elections.
In a statement issued on Friday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, called on INEC to provide state-by-state information showing the number of newly registered voters, PVCs produced and distributed, outstanding cards and designated collection centres.
The ADC said access to a voter card should be treated as an essential part of the electoral process rather than an administrative matter.
“You cannot register Nigerians to vote and then make them run from office to office searching for the card that enables them to exercise that right. Registration without access to a PVC is disenfranchisement by another route,” the party said.
It also urged INEC to strengthen public information campaigns and decentralise PVC collection where possible, arguing that long distances, bureaucracy and inadequate communication could discourage eligible voters from completing the process.
The party said the approaching election makes early action necessary, warning against a situation where voters are forced into a last-minute scramble to obtain their cards.
“With the general election approaching, Nigerians should not be left wondering whether their cards will arrive in time. This is not a logistical footnote. It goes to the heart of the credibility of the election itself.”
The ADC further announced plans to mobilise its structures across the country to monitor the distribution exercise and document complaints from registered voters who encounter difficulties obtaining their PVCs.
The party said INEC still has an opportunity to address the concerns before the election season intensifies, insisting that every registered voter should have a fair opportunity to exercise their constitutional right.
“We do not want an election-eve scramble, excuses or emergency promises. INEC has the opportunity to resolve this matter now, transparently and comprehensively.
“Every PVC that remains unnecessarily unavailable represents a citizen whose constitutional voice is at risk of being silenced. That must not be allowed to happen.”
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