Nigeria's Electoral Commission Debunks Claim About Destruction of Uncollected Voter Cards

22 January 2025
Africa Check (Johannesburg)
By Motunrayo Joel

Nigeria's electoral commission debunks claim about destruction of uncollected voter cards

IN SHORT: Nigerian social media has been awash with claims that the Independent National Electoral Commission is threatening to destroy uncollected voter cards. But Inec says the message is false and should be disregarded.

"INEC to destroy over 6 million uncollected PVC", reads the headline of a message circulating on Facebook in Nigeria.

The permanent voter's card (PVC) enables registered voters to vote. The card contains biometric data that can only be read by an electronic card reader.

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) registers voters, issues permanent voter cards and conducts elections.

The message reads, in part: "The PVCs to be destroyed are ones that have remained unclaimed for ten years. The proposal is one of 208 recommendations resulting from the commission's review of the 2023 general elections.

It continues: "The policy is aimed at addressing the longstanding issue of unclaimed PVCs, with over six million cards left uncollected as of the 2023 elections, including many issued as far back as 2015."

The claim can also be found here and here. (Note: See more instances listed at the end of the report.)

Uncollected PVCs have caused concern in both governorship and presidential elections.

Inec has urged Nigerians to collect their PVCs. But did the elections agency threaten to destroy uncollected cards? We checked.

Incorrect story, says Inec

There would be several problems with destroying uncollected cards. These include disenfranchisement, loss of confidence in Inec, waste of resources, risk of litigation and the potential for manipulation or fraud.

Nigerians can be assured that Inec has no plans to destroy uncollected PVCs.

On 5 January, Inec posted a message on its official Facebook page, asking the public to "discountenance the story".

"Our attention has been drawn to a newspaper report that the Commission is contemplating the destruction of over six million uncollected Permanent Voters' Cards (PVCs) going back to the 2015 voter registration.

"The report is incorrect. At no time did the Commission contemplate the destruction of uncollected PVCs," the message reads.

The false claim was also posted here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

Read the original story, with links and other resources.
Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and in the media. Twitter @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org

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