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INEC Proposes Voting Without PVCs, Seeks Legal Backing
INEC’s Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, explained on Wednesday that while the commission supports expanding voter access through the use of technology, any change from the current PVC-only policy must be legally sanctioned.
This development follows remarks made by INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, during a quarterly meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners held in Abuja in December 2024.
Professor Yakubu noted the increasing importance of technology in the electoral process, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which he said has improved voter verification and efficiency. According to him, while PVCs will remain valid, future elections may allow voters to use digitally generated slips—either issued by INEC or downloaded from its website—for accreditation.
He added that this innovation could reduce costs, simplify logistics, and tackle the issue of voter card manipulation.
“With BVAS in place, the reliance on PVCs as the only means of voter identification should be reconsidered.
Voters who already have PVCs can continue using them, but going forward, a printed or downloadable accreditation slip may suffice.
This would lower expenses, eliminate the difficulties associated with PVC collection, and curb the harmful practice of buying PVCs to suppress voter participation,” Yakubu said.
However, Oyekanmi emphasized that implementing such a policy requires a corresponding change in the electoral law.
“It’s not just about INEC’s position; what the law currently states is equally important.
Although the commission supports the idea of allowing other means of accreditation besides PVCs, the law must be amended before this can take effect,” he explained.
