The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports claiming it plans to destroy uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

In a statement issued on Sunday, INEC described the claims as false and urged the public to disregard them.

“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 statement read. “The report is incorrect. At no time did the Commission contemplate the destruction of uncollected PVCs. The public is advised to discountenance the story.”

INEC has been actively reviewing its processes to enhance electoral transparency. In December 2024, the Commission proposed using computer-generated slips for voter accreditation during elections, citing the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) as a reason to reconsider the PVC as the sole means of voter identification.

INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu noted that the Commission would soon present its recommendations for electoral reforms to the National Assembly.

Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, INEC reported that 87,209,007 PVCs had been collected across the country, representing 93.3% of the 93,469,008 registered voters. However, 6,259,229 PVCs—6.7% of the total—remained uncollected.

The Commission’s statement underscores its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process and addressing public concerns transparently.