The Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards and the display of preliminary voter registers ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to The PUNCH, the seven-day exercise begins on Friday, October 9, and ends on October 15, allowing registered voters to verify their information, raise objections and collect their PVCs.
In Plateau State, Resident Electoral Commissioner Professor Sam Egwu announced that the exercise would take place across all 207 Registration Areas from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, including weekends.
Egwu urged eligible voters to verify their personal information, including names, photographs, dates of birth and polling units.
“All registered voters are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to carefully check information they provided,” he said.
He stressed that maintaining an accurate voter register was essential to conducting free and credible elections.
INEC outlines PVC distribution arrangements
In Sokoto State, Resident Electoral Commissioner Umar Garba confirmed that voter register verification and PVC distribution would take place simultaneously.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission will commence the display of the preliminary register of voters for claims and objections, as well as the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards from the 9th to the 15th of October 2026,” Garba said.
The commission explained that the PVCs available for collection were processed during the first phase of Continuous Voter Registration, conducted between August 18 and December 10, 2025.
However, cards involving lost or damaged PVCs, transfers, updates and registrations from subsequent phases are not yet available.
Garba assured affected voters that INEC would announce when their cards became ready.
He added that PVC distribution would continue at INEC offices across Sokoto’s 23 local government areas after October 15.
“This will enable eligible voters who could not collect their cards at the Registration Area level to do so,” he explained.
INEC addresses security, displaced voters
Speaking on security arrangements, Garba said the commission had maintained close cooperation with security agencies throughout the registration process.
“Throughout the registration of voters held recently, the commission took the advice of security agencies very seriously. This contributed to a safe process without any casualties,” he said.
The commissioner also disclosed that INEC was working to ensure internally displaced persons could participate in the 2027 elections.
“We are working to ensure that they vote once they are in official and recognised camps,” Garba stated.
He assured residents that the commission remained committed to providing eligible voters with opportunities to collect their PVCs.
Garba added that INEC would release Sokoto State’s total number of registered voters at the appropriate time.
