Kehinde Fajobi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suggested introducing computer-generated voting slips for individuals without Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in future elections.
Speaking during a quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Thursday in Abuja, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, explained that the use of PVCs as the sole voting requirement should be reconsidered following the adoption of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
“Those who already have PVCs can still use them to vote,” Yakubu said.
“But going forward, computer-generated slips issued to voters or downloaded from the Commission’s website will suffice for voter accreditation.
“This will save costs and address issues such as PVC collection and the harmful practice of buying voter cards to disenfranchise citizens.”
Yakubu highlighted that this proposal aligns with the Commission’s review of the 2023 general elections and consultations with stakeholders.
INEC identified 142 recommendations to improve electoral processes, including voter management, education, political party regulation, logistics, election security, and legal reforms.
Of the recommendations, 86 require administrative action by INEC, while 48 involve collaboration with other stakeholders, including security agencies, mobile network operators, political parties, civil society organisations, and the media.
Eight require legislative amendments by the National Assembly, which INEC plans to present to the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters soon.
Yakubu emphasised the importance of legal clarity regarding result management, particularly on manual transfer versus electronic transmission of results.
He also discussed introducing early voting for essential workers, including journalists, security personnel, and election observers.
“The report also supports diaspora voting, establishing an electoral offences tribunal, and creating a separate agency for political party registration and regulation,” Yakubu stated.
In addition, INEC plans to collaborate with agencies like the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Population Commission (NPC) to clean up the voters’ register.
Other reforms include boosting voter education to combat misinformation and improving logistics agreements with transport unions to ensure smooth operations during elections.
Yakubu affirmed INEC’s commitment to fostering inclusive participation, advocating affirmative action for under-represented groups, and strengthening public communication to enhance trust in electoral processes.