In preparation for upcoming elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed the use of computer-generated voting slips for individuals lacking Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
During a quarterly consultative meeting with Residents Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja on Thursday, INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu stated that PVCs should not be the only criterion for voting, particularly with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). He mentioned that after releasing a comprehensive 524-page report on the 2023 general election, the commission has engaged with both internal officials and external stakeholders.
With five significant off-cycle gubernatorial elections and nine of 21 bye-elections completed since the 2023 elections, Yakubu emphasized that now is the ideal time for INEC to start implementing recommendations from its review. The Commission has identified 142 suggestions related to preparedness, voter management, education, political party oversight, electoral operations, logistics, and other key areas.
Of these, 86 require administrative action from the Commission, while 48 suggest actions from various stakeholders such as security agencies, political parties, and civil society. There are also eight recommendations needing legislative action from the National Assembly; hence, INEC plans to present these to the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters shortly.
Among the critical recommendations is the need for legal clarity regarding result management, especially concerning manual versus electronic transmission of results. Additionally, with BVAS in use, the exclusive reliance on PVCs for voter accreditation should be reevaluated. Voters with PVCs can still use them, but computer-generated slips—obtained from the Commission’s website—would also be acceptable. This approach aims to reduce costs and address concerns over PVC collection and the troubling issue of voters being pressured to surrender their cards.
The review also suggests implementing special voting provisions for essential workers, including INEC officials and security personnel, who may be unable to vote where they are registered. Other recommendations include provisions for diaspora voting, the establishment of an electoral offences tribunal, and a dedicated agency for political party registration and regulation. INEC will also enhance efforts to improve voter access to polling units.
Yakubu noted the urgent need to collaborate with agencies like the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Population Commission (NPC) to clean up the voters’ register. Additionally, reforms will include promoting greater participation from under-represented groups and improving voter education to counter misinformation. He also mentioned plans to refine logistics agreements with transport unions to ensure more effective election deployments, building on lessons learned from the recent Ondo State Governorship election.
