By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish a clear nationwide timetable for the production, distribution and collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), warning that administrative delays must not disenfranchise Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party made the call in a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, amid concerns over delays in the availability of PVCs, particularly in parts of the North-West.
The ADC said Nigerians who successfully completed the voter registration process deserved certainty about when and where their PVCs would be available for collection.
It warned that registering citizens without ensuring timely access to their voter cards could undermine their constitutional right to participate in elections.
“You cannot register Nigerians to vote and then make them run from office to office searching for the card that enables them to exercise that right,” the party said.
“Registration without access to a PVC is disenfranchisement by another route.”
The opposition party called on INEC to publish state-by-state data showing the number of newly registered voters, PVCs produced, cards distributed, outstanding cards and designated collection centres.
It also urged the electoral commission to intensify public information campaigns and decentralise PVC collection where practicable to reduce the difficulties associated with distance, bureaucracy and inadequate communication.
According to the ADC, timely and transparent distribution of the cards was particularly important as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
“With the general election approaching, Nigerians should not be left wondering whether their cards will arrive in time,” it said.
“This is not a logistical footnote. It goes to the heart of the credibility of the election itself.”
The party said it would deploy its structures across the country to monitor PVC distribution and document complaints from registered voters who were unable to obtain their cards.
The ADC said the exercise would enable it to identify areas where registered voters might face difficulties obtaining their PVCs and draw the attention of the relevant authorities to such challenges.
It warned INEC against waiting until the eve of the election before addressing outstanding PVC distribution issues.
“We do not want an election-eve scramble, excuses or emergency promises,” the party said, urging INEC to resolve the matter “now, transparently and comprehensively.”
The party stressed that every eligible citizen who had completed registration should be able to obtain the necessary documentation to participate in the electoral process.
“Every PVC that remains unnecessarily unavailable represents a citizen whose constitutional voice is at risk of being silenced. That must not be allowed to happen,” the ADC said.
The party’s intervention comes as INEC continues preparations for the 2027 general elections, including voter registration and other electoral-readiness activities.
The ADC urged the commission to ensure that logistical challenges surrounding PVC production and collection did not become an unintended barrier to voter participation.
It also called for greater transparency in communicating the status of PVC production and distribution, arguing that publicly available information would enable voters, political parties and civil society organisations to monitor the process effectively.
The party reiterated its commitment to monitoring the electoral process nationwide and said its structures would continue to document complaints and engage relevant authorities where registered voters encounter difficulties.
