INEC says over 95,000 PVCs uncollected in Plateau, plans IDP voting

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says over 95,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) remain uncollected in Plateau State, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The commission also said it was making arrangements to enable internally displaced persons (IDPs) in nine local government areas affected by communal conflicts and displacement to participate in the elections.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Plateau, Sam Egwu, disclosed this on Wednesday in Jos at a readiness assessment meeting with political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

Mr Egwu urged political parties and other stakeholders to intensify voter mobilisation and public enlightenment campaigns to encourage eligible voters to collect their PVCs.

“We have over 90,000 permanent voter cards uncollected — in fact, about 95,000,” Mr Egwu said.

He expressed uncertainty over the whereabouts of some of the card owners, noting that some may have relocated from the state while others could have been former National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who had completed their service.

“We are not even sure whether the owners still reside in Plateau State. Some may have relocated, some may have been Youth Corps members who have completed their service,” he said.

The REC urged eligible voters to visit INEC offices in their respective local government areas to ascertain whether their cards were among those awaiting collection.

He assured stakeholders that the commission would make appropriate arrangements to ensure that eligible cardholders who are entitled to collect their PVCs are able to do so.

IDP voting
Mr Egwu also disclosed that the commission was preparing for possible voting arrangements for IDPs in nine local government areas of the state.

The affected areas are Bassa, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, Riyom, Jos North, Jos South, Mangu, Kanam and Wase.

Plateau has experienced recurrent communal violence in several of these areas, resulting in deaths, destruction of property and the displacement of residents from their communities.

Mr Egwu said the commission was considering special arrangements for displaced residents because their displacement was caused by circumstances beyond their control.

“We may have to prepare for IDP voting in nine local governments based on the facts we have now,” he said.

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“People have been forced to move by circumstances beyond their control. As long as they are displaced, we must make arrangements for them to vote.”

The REC said Nigeria’s commitment to the Kampala Convention on internal displacement reinforced the need to ensure that displaced citizens were not excluded from the electoral process because of their circumstances.

The proposed arrangements, he said, were part of INEC’s preparations to ensure that eligible voters affected by displacement could exercise their constitutional right to vote in the 2027 elections.