AS INEC PHASES OUT PVCS

ANALYSIS: AS INEC PHASES OUT PVC, CAN NIN BE AN ALTERNATIVE?

The introduction of the PVC and smartcard readers in 2015 piloted the integration of technology into Nigeria’s electoral system.

Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), plans to gradually phase out the permanent voter card (PVC) as the sole means of identification for voter accreditation on Election Day. This could end the “no-PVC, no-voting” slogan that INEC has amplified for about 10 years.

INEC’s chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, recently announced the plan at a meeting. He said that computer-generated slips issued to voters or downloaded from the commission’s website will suffice for voter accreditation. Mr Yakubu said the capability of BVAS makes it unnecessary to continue making PVCs mandatory.

“Those who already have the PVCs can still use them to vote, but going forward, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or even downloaded from the Commission’s website will suffice for voter accreditation. This will not only save costs; it will also eliminate the issues around the collection of PVCs and the diabolical practice of buying up the cards from voters in order to disenfranchise them,” he noted.

The introduction of the PVC and smartcard readers in 2015 piloted the integration of technology into Nigeria’s electoral system. Over the years, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has replaced the smart card reader. The technology of the BVAS goes beyond card reading as it has biometric features.

As things stand, the card is not used to authenticate voters; rather, the Voters Registration Number (VIN) is used to access the details of voters, while verification is done through biometric components like fingerprints and images.

“Restricting voting only to voters’ cards is apparently the worst case in Nigeria. That is why you see people buying up voters’ cards. Some persons are unable to vote because they are unable to pick up their PVCs. At every election, the number of uncollected PVCs is in thousands, if not in millions,” Austin Aigbe, an election expert, said during a phone interview.

“You don’t need it. We are in a digital age. It is the right proposal. A voter’s card is a voter’s card, whether it is in paper form or card. The reason for the hard copy is simple; it is because people are making fake cards. The smart card reader is supposed to read the card and authenticate it before the voter can then vote,” he added.

Many believe that the current “No PVC, no voting” system creates bottlenecks that impede voting. Before the last general elections, over 6.2 million PVCs were not collected. In Oyo State, for instance, 515,254 PVCs were not collected. This figure represented over 15 per cent of the total registered voters in the state. Many cited logistical reasons for not collecting their PVCs.

“Those who already have the PVCs can still use them to vote, but going forward, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or even downloaded from the Commission’s website will suffice for voter accreditation.

While Mr Yakubu’s argument seems logical, PVC is backed by a legislative framework: the Electoral Act. Section 16(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 empowers INEC to design, print, and control the issuance of PVCs to eligible voters whose names appear in the register.