Is INEC Really Planning to Destroy 6m Uncollected PVCs?

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has responded to the alleged plans to destroy six million uncollected Permanent Vot­er Cards (PVCs).

The commission, in a post on its verified X handle (formerly Twitter), @inecnigeria, advised the public to discountenance the story in the media (Techeconomy not included).

The report said INEC was contemplating a policy to withdraw and destroy PVCs that have remained uncollected for a decade.

According to the newspaper, the recommendation was among 208 proposals arising from the commission review of the 2023 general elections.

The newspaper said the move stemmed from the per­sistent issue of unclaimed PVCs, with over six million cards still uncollected as of the 2023 elections, including many issued as far back as 2015.

It said stakeholders in the post-election review recom­mended that INEC address the backlog of uncollected PVCs by implementing a policy to withdraw PVCs that remain uncollected for extended periods, starting with cards issued in 2015.

The rationale, it said, is that these cards are unlike­ly to be claimed, and their retention clogs the voter management system.

However, INEC in the post responding to the news­paper report said:

“Our at­tention has been drawn to a newspaper report that the commission is contem­plating the destruction of over six million uncollect­ed Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) going back to the 2015 voter registration.

“The report is incorrect. At no time did the com­mission contemplate the destruction of uncollected PVCs. The public is advised to discountenance the story.”