The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed the use of computer-generated voting slips for voters without Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in future elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known on Thursday in Abuja during the quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).
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Yakubu emphasized that with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), PVCs should no longer be the sole requirement for voter accreditation.
“Those who already have the PVCs can still use them to vote, but going forward, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or downloaded from the Commission’s website will suffice for voter accreditation,” Yakubu said.
He explained that this move would save costs and address issues such as delayed collection of PVCs and the illicit practice of buying voter cards to disenfranchise eligible voters.
Yakubu also highlighted the conclusion of major off-cycle governorship elections and bye-elections since the 2023 general elections as a good opportunity to begin implementing recommendations from INEC’s 524-page post-election review report.
“From internal and external engagements, the Commission has identified 142 recommendations,” he said. “Out of these, 86 require administrative action by the Commission, while 48 involve collaboration with stakeholders, including security agencies, political parties, and civil society organisations. Eight recommendations will require legislative action by the National Assembly.”
Yakubu further noted key recommendations, including legal clarity on manual versus electronic result transmission, diaspora voting, and early voting for journalists, security personnel, and essential workers who are often deployed outside their voting areas during elections.
“There are also recommendations in support of unbundling the Commission with the establishment of an electoral offences tribunal and a separate agency to handle the registration and regulation of political parties,” he added.
The INEC Chairman also underscored the urgency of cleaning up the voters’ register in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Population Commission (NPC).
Other reforms include increased advocacy for underrepresented groups, improved voter education to tackle fake news, and enhanced logistics management with transport unions to ensure early deployment during elections.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the electoral process and ensuring greater efficiency in future elections.
