The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that nationwide collection of newly issued Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will begin on October 9, 2026, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan disclosed on Monday in Kaduna during the commission’s North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting, part of a nationwide readiness assessment for the 2027 polls. Amupitan explained that the PVC collection follows three phases of Continuous Voter Registration, which yielded 10,772,421 new registrations—pending verification through the Automated Biometric Identification System.
He instructed INEC officials to remove any operational bottlenecks, especially at the Local Government Area level, to ensure all eligible Nigerians can collect their cards. He emphasized that the real success of elections depends on effective grassroots operations, not just decisions made at INEC headquarters.
“These elections are won or lost in the field, not in the meeting rooms of Abuja,” Amupitan said, urging staff to use zonal meetings to identify and resolve practical challenges before election day.
Amupitan also warned officials against partisanship and administrative lapses, highlighting the need for neutrality and professionalism to maintain public trust in the electoral process. He assured that INEC is learning from recent elections and strengthening its systems as 2027 approaches, including improvements to voter verification, result transmission, and the adoption of the new eEC8A system.
Additionally, the commission is adopting a “Zero-Failure” strategy for election logistics, focusing on early deployment of materials, improved transport, security coordination, and better training for ad-hoc staff.
Earlier, the Supervising National Commissioner for Kaduna, Kudu Haruna, noted that the zonal meetings give INEC leadership direct engagement with field personnel. Haruna also mentioned Amupitan’s courtesy visit to the Emir of Zazzau and the Kaduna State Council of Traditional Rulers, seeking their support to encourage voter participation and PVC collection.
Helen Ajayi, Director of Planning and Monitoring, said the zonal assessment aims to gauge preparedness across the states and address urgent operational issues, while ensuring staff uphold INEC’s Code of Conduct.
Representatives from departments such as Voter Education, Registry, ICT, Human Resources, and Operations also gave updates on their preparations.
According to INEC’s official platform, the commission is already providing voter-status and PVC-related services for the 2027 elections. The INEC election calendar lists January 16, 2027, as the date for the nationwide presidential and House of Assembly polls.
