INEC sets October 9 for nationwide PVC collection

The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed October 9, 2026, for the commencement of nationwide collection of newly issued Permanent Voter Cards by voters registered during the recent Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced the date in Kaduna during the commission’s North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting with staff. The commission recorded 10,772,421 new registrations across the three phases of the CVR exercise.

Amupitan said the newly registered voters would be subject to verification through the Automated Biometric Identification System, with the verification process nearing completion.

He directed electoral officials to address operational challenges that could hinder PVC collection, particularly in rural communities, while urging them to maintain neutrality and professionalism throughout the electoral process.

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The INEC chairman said the conduct of officials at local government areas, registration area centres and polling units would be important to public confidence in the process.

The first phase of the CVR, conducted from August 25 to December 10, 2025, recorded 2,611,266 registrations.

The second phase, held from January 5 to April 17, 2026, recorded 4,121,835 registrations, while the third phase, conducted from May 11 to July 26, 2026, recorded 3,867,997 registrations.

Amupitan said the combined figure remains subject to verification through ABIS.

He said preparations for the 2027 elections were progressing, with the commission working to address logistical, technical and public-confidence challenges.

“The statutory timeline is fixed and the clock is ticking,” Amupitan said, noting that the Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027. INEC’s published election calendar confirms the dates.

He also identified voter apathy, misinformation, disinformation and public trust as among the challenges confronting the electoral process.

Earlier, the Supervising National Commissioner for Kaduna, Mohammed Haruna, said the zonal interactive meetings were designed to enable the commission’s leadership to engage directly with field personnel as preparations for the 2027 elections continue.

The commission also appealed to traditional rulers to encourage eligible citizens to collect their PVCs.

Registered voters can use INEC’s official voter portal to check their PVC status and locate their designated collection centres.