ABUJA – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is open to allowing eligible Nigerians to vote without Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the 2027 general elections – but only if the law is amended to support the move.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, made this known on Wednesday. He emphasised that while the commission is committed to expanding voter access through technology, any change must be aligned with legal provisions.
This follows comments made by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in December 2024 during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners.
Yakubu had suggested that the exclusive use of PVCs for accreditation should be reconsidered.
“The commission also believes that with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the use of the Permanent Voters’ Cards as the sole means of identification for voter accreditation on Election Day should be reviewed,” Yakubu said.
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He noted that voters could, in the future, use slips generated by INEC or downloaded from its website for accreditation a move that would cut costs, ease logistics, and curb voter card-related malpractice.
“Those who already have the PVCs can still use them to vote, but going forward, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or even downloaded from the Commission’s website will suffice for voter accreditation,” he added.
Oyekanmi clarified that INEC supports the idea, but stressed, “It is not our stand-alone that is important. Equally critical is what the subsisting law says… the law needs to be amended to reflect it.”
The proposal, if passed into law, could mark a major shift in Nigeria’s electoral process by making voter participation more accessible and technology-driven.
