 has raised the alarm over delays in the production and distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs),){kind=link}
By ABC News Nigeria
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised the alarm over delays in the production and distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), warning the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against allowing administrative bottlenecks to disenfranchise newly registered voters, particularly in the Northwest.
The party urged INEC to urgently release a comprehensive nationwide timetable showing when registered Nigerians will receive their PVCs and where the cards can be collected.
In a statement issued on Friday, September 11, 2026, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said citizens who completed the registration process should not be left uncertain about how and when they would obtain the cards required to participate in elections.
The party said registering voters without ensuring timely access to their PVCs could undermine their constitutional right to vote.
“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 ADC said, describing registration without access to PVCs as “disenfranchisement by another route.”
The opposition party called on INEC to publish state-by-state figures detailing the number of newly registered voters, PVCs already produced, cards distributed, outstanding cards and designated collection centres.
It also demanded stronger public awareness campaigns and the decentralisation of PVC collection points where practicable, arguing that distance, bureaucratic hurdles and inadequate information could discourage eligible voters from collecting their cards.
The ADC stressed that the issue had become particularly important with the next general election approaching, warning that uncertainty over PVC availability could damage public confidence in the electoral process.
“With the general election approaching, Nigerians should not be left wondering whether their cards will arrive in time. This is not a logistical footnote. It goes to the heart of the credibility of the election itself,” the statement said.
The party further announced plans to activate its structures across the country to monitor PVC distribution and document complaints from registered voters who encounter difficulties obtaining their cards.
According to the ADC, INEC still has sufficient time to address the concerns before the election season intensifies, rather than waiting until the last minute when pressure on collection centres could trigger confusion.
“We do not want an election-eve scramble, excuses or emergency promises. INEC has the opportunity to resolve this matter now, transparently and comprehensively,” the party said.
The ADC warned that every eligible voter who remains unable to obtain a PVC could be effectively excluded from the democratic 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 party added.
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