PVC collection: Low turnout of registered voters nationwide

By Dayo Johnson

The first day of the collection of Permanent Voters Cards witnessed low turnout of registered voters across the states yesterday as the Independent National Electoral Commission commenced the display of the National Register of Voters and the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) at the Ward/Registration Area levels.

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The commission however said the turnout was relatively low because it was the first day of the exercise and expressed optimism that there would be an improvement with time.

While the exercise began smoothly and peacefully in many states, eligible voters in Umuahia, Abia State, expressed anger and disappointment over their inability to collect their PVCs following the absence of INEC officials at some designated collection centres.

The exercise followed an announcement by the Commission that PVCs are now ready for collection. INEC had said; “Registered in 2025? Your PVC is now ready for collection. The cards are available for fresh registrants, transfers, replacements, and those who carried out information updates or reviews in 2025. Voters from previous registration exercises can also collect theirs.

“If you registered, requested a transfer, or applied for a replacement of a lost or damaged PVC during the first phase, your PVC will be available for collection,” the Commission said.

It added that “Uncollected PVCs from previous voter registration exercises will also be available.”

Collection at the Registration Areas (RAs) runs from Friday, October 9, to Thursday, October 15, 2026. From Friday, October 16, 2026, it moved to the Local Government Areas LGAs. INEC’s schedule puts the hours at 9am to 3pm.

In the same period, the Commission said, “From Friday, 9th to Thursday, 15th October 2026, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC will display the National Register of Voters for public scrutiny at all Registration Areas nationwide.”

FCT

At the Government Secondary School in Area 10, Garki, INEC officials were on ground to issue the cards, but the turnout was thin. An official at the centre said the low turnout was probably because it was the first day. She advised members of the public to avoid the late-hour rush by collecting their cards early.

Benue

In Benue, the exercise began smoothly and peacefully across the state, with INEC expressing optimism that it would continue without hitches. The Public Affairs Officer of INEC in Benue State, Peace Ogoyi, said that the commission had put necessary measures in place to ensure a hitch-free exercise.

She said the display of the register to enable voters make claims and objections would continue at the Ward and Registration Area levels until October 15, while PVC collection would take place simultaneously at the same locations. Ogoyi added that PVC collection would continue at the commission’s Local Government Area offices from October 16.

Similarly, the Electoral Officer for Makurdi Local Government Area, Mr. Silas Rimdan, said the exercise commenced smoothly and peacefully in the area. Rimdan, however, observed that the turnout on the first day was relatively low, expressing hope that more residents would participate as the exercise progressed. “This is day one, and we have started well. Though, as usual, the turnout is not very impressive, we expect it to increase as the day goes by,” he said.

Ogun

Vanguard correspondent, who monitored the exercise in Abeokuta, the state capital, observed an impressive turnout of prospective voters at the collection centres. It was also observed that prospective voters presented their voter registration slips or valid means of identification before collecting their cards. Speaking with Vanguard, a prospective voter, Abidemi Adelowo, who visited a collection centre to obtain his PVC, commended INEC for organising the exercise. Adelowo described the process as smooth and hitch-free. Also speaking, Omotara Adeniyi said, there was no challenge in collecting her PVC, commending the INEC for creating awareness.

Oyo

In Oyo state, INEC confirmed the relatively low turnout recorded on the first day of the exercise but expressed optimism that more registered voters would turn up as the process progressed.

The Head of the Publicity Unit of INEC in Oyo State, Olayiwola Awolowo, in an interview with Vanguard said, “being the first day, the turnout is relatively low, but we expect the situation to improve with time. Since the exercise is for seven days, the turnout will improve with time”.

Ondo

The collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) across Ondo State took off smoothly on Monday, but turnout was considerably low. Prospective voters trickled to centres across Akure, the state capital, on the first day of the exercise.

Those interviewed appreciated the electoral umpire for the gesture, saying they had been given the opportunity to exercise their franchise during the coming general elections. In an interview, the spokesperson for the commission in Ondo State, Yinka Ogunseye, confirmed that turnout was “considerably low because it was the first day of the exercise.”

Ogunseye said turnout would keep increasing by the day until the last day of the exercise. He urged all eligible persons concerned to take advantage of this opportunity and avoid waiting until rush hours or the last day before visiting their designated registration areas. Ogunseye appealed members of the public to “visit their respective Registration Areas during the seven-day period to participate in the exercise and bring any legitimate claims or objections to the attention of designated INEC officials”

Ekiti

In Ekiti state, at one of the collection centres in Ado-Ekiti, Omole Olaleye stated that they were informed that the collection would run from 9am to 3pm daily, stressing that the process had been seamless since his arrival.

“When I got here, the process was seamless and I thank INEC For that”. Another registered voter, Bose Adedeji said the commission only checked her name on the voter’s register and handed her the card after confirming her identity.

Abia

Eligible voters in Umuahia, Abia State, on Friday expressed anger and disappointment over their inability to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) on the opening day of nationwide collection, following the absence of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials at some designated collection centres. At Ugba Primary School Umuahia, no INEC staff was sighted at the centre when Vanguard visited around 2pm.

Similarly, when our correspondent visited School Road Primary School, Umuahia, at about 2:42 pm, no INEC official was sighted at the centre. Inquiries, however, indicated that the officials who had earlier arrived for the exercise had left. Some prospective voters, who said they had made repeated trips to the centre, accused INEC of frustrating their efforts to obtain their PVCs ahead of the 2027 general elections.

One of them, Mr Innocent Odoenelam, a resident of World Bank Housing Estate, Umuahia, said he rushed to the centre after hearing a radio announcement that the cards were ready for collection, only to be told that officials had closed for the day. Odoenelam, who said he arrived at about 2:30 pm, described the experience as discouraging, especially as the official closing time was 3 pm.

Odoenelam, however, vowed to return on Monday because he was determined to vote.

Another voter, Mr. Francis Egwuibe, said he had visited the centre as early as 8:30 am but left after waiting beyond 9 am without seeing any official. He said he returned in the afternoon, hoping to collect his card, only to discover that the officials had departed. Egwuibe questioned why INEC personnel could not remain at the centre throughout the announced collection period, considering the time and transportation costs incurred by voters.

Similarly, a female voter, Chioma Njoku, accused INEC of treating prospective voters as though they had no value, warning that such experiences could discourage people willing to participate in the electoral process. The frustrated voters urged INEC to improve its arrangements and ensure that eligible citizens could obtain their cards without unnecessary hardship. When contacted, INEC spokesperson in Abia, Mr Victor Abraham promised to revert after necessary inquiries but had yet to do so as at the time of filing this report.

Ebonyi

In Ebonyi State, the Voter Education officer in INEC office Mrs. Esther Idam expressed the commission’s readiness to be in all the wards. She stated that the materials were distributed to various wards from INEC offices in local government areas of the state.

Our Correspondent who monitored the exercise in Abakaliki observed that there were INEC officials in some wards visited. But at the time of monitoring of the exercise between 11 am and 2pm there was low turnout, only few people came up to check their names at the displayed registers while nobody came up to collect their PVC at the time.

Enugu

In Enugu State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) disclosed that Enugu State has 2, 213,768 registered voters, and eligible voters to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate in the ongoing claims and objections exercise.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr. Chukwuemeka Chukwu, while briefing journalists on the commencement of the nationwide Display and Hearing of Claims and Objections and PVC collection, urged eligible residents to take advantage of the exercise rather than wait until the last minute. The PVC collection exercise commenced across Enugu State on Friday and was progressing smoothly as of the time of filing this report.

Katsina

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has commenced the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards PVCs across electoral wards in Katsina, urging eligible registrants to collect their cards promptly to ensure their participation in future elections. The Public Relations Officer of INEC in Katsina, Aliyu Abdullahi Garba Adosa disclosed that the exercise covers individuals who registered during the first phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise between August and December 2021 as well as those who applied for corrections to their voter details or replacement of lost cards.

Adosa said the commission had deployed personnel and distributed the available cards to designated Registration Area Centres across the state’s electoral wards to ensure an orderly and accessible collection process. He added that reports from the centres indicated that a considerable number of eligible voters had turned out on the first day.

He observed that turnout in some centres was below expectations, despite the enthusiasm previously demonstrated by residents who had repeatedly asked when their PVCs would be available for collection. According to him, the commission had anticipated a much larger turnout, considering the public interest generated before the exercise commenced.

Kwara

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kwara state has dispatched 32,518 Permanent Voters Cards(PVC) under incident and transfer across the sixteen local governments in the state. The spokesman of INEC in the state Ibrahim Abdulkadir told Vanguard that the concerned electorates who had transferred or damaged their PVC are expected to collect the PVC at various wards within one week after which the collection would be transferred to headquarters of the local government.

An electorate in Magaji Are ward 2 in Ilorin East local government Farouk Mohammed who spoke with Vanguard said he collected his PVC without any hitch. According to him,” I found my name on the displayed list based on alphabetical order and the INEC officer gave me my PVC,there were no problems at all, I’m ready to cast my vote.”

Anambra

In Anambra state, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner,REC, Dr Elizabeth Agwu, said that the distribution of PVCs are for those who registered between January and July 2025 before the governorship election of November last year.

She called on the local government chairmen to begin an awareness campaign in their areas through town criers to inform the people that collection of PVCs had started. She, however, expressed worry that political parties were not campaigning for the 2027 elections and hoped that they were not planning to scuttle the election.

“Start your campaigns and stop tempting our staff with money. Go and do your homework because there’s no longer a shortcut to winning” the REC advised

Bayelsa

In Bayelsa state, the Independent National Electoral Commission ,INEC, has commenced the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) across the eight local government areas of Bayelsa State ahead of the 2027 general elections, with some prospective voters encountering difficulties locating their polling units and retrieving their cards.

The state Resident Electoral Commissioner ,REC, Mallam Shaka, who flagged off the exercise on Friday at the commission’s state headquarters in Yenagoa, said the first phase of the distribution covered voters who registered or applied for transfer of their voting locations during the Continuous Voter Registration ,CVR, exercise conducted between August and December 2025.

The REC also announced that voters who registered during previous CVR exercises between 2011 and 2022 but had yet to collect their PVCs could visit INEC offices in their respective local government areas between October 9 and 15 to retrieve the cards.

However, some prospective voters encountered difficulties, including missing names on the displayed register and challenges identifying their assigned polling units. Some applicants who had lost their PVCs were reportedly asked to return next month because their cases were not covered by the current distribution batch.

One of the affected residents, Mr Chidi Timothy, who recently applied for a transfer of his voting location to Yenagoa following his relocation to Bayelsa State on official duty, said he could not collect his card because he was unable to establish the polling unit to which it had been assigned. Timothy said although his name appeared on the register, the inability to identify his polling unit made it difficult for officials to locate his PVC among the cards available for collection.

Borno

In Borno state, the head of voter education and publicity, Ibrahim Shuaibu said the display and distribution of permanent voters cards will be carried out in phases, while the INEC would continue to give a timeline for claims and objections. He added that exercise would be extended to the Ward level to ensure massive compliance.

Shuaibu also expressed satisfaction with the turn out of people to crosscheck and obtain their PVCs. He noted that the ongoing distribution of the PVCs was for those who participated in the registration exercise in August and December last year, while INEC still awaits more PVCs from the Commission’s headquarters.

Steve Oko; Peter Duru; Vincent Ujumadu; Rotimi Ojomoyela; Demola Akinyemi; Omeiza Ajayi; Ndahi Marama; Emem Idio; Jeff Agbodo; Chinedu Adonu. & Fauziyya Lawal contributed to this report.

Vanguard News

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