Three weeks after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) opened distribution centers nationwide, no fewer than 14 million eligible voters have failed to collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), raising severe concerns for election stakeholders across the country.
Despite extensive logistical preparations, empty queues at local government offices continue to threaten voter participation ahead of upcoming polls.
​At the national level, electoral officials in Abuja warned that the low turnout at distribution points could disenfranchise millions of registered citizens. The backlog spans every geo-political zone, with local offices across the country reporting millions of processed cards sitting untouched on office shelves.
​In the North-Central and North-West regions, state officials expressed growing frustration over the public indifference. Plateau State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Oliver Egwu, reported that while the state registered 121,821 new voters during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, over 95,000 processed PVCs remain uncollected across its 17 local government areas.
In Kwara State, Head of Voter Education and Information Alhaji Aliyu Shaba Lafiagi disclosed that only 49,304 cards had been picked up as of late October.
​Further north, Zamfara State REC Dr. Mahmud Isa confirmed the addition of 313,115 new registrants to the state’s roll, yet distribution centers in Gusau and surrounding districts report sparse foot traffic. A similar trend persists in Sokoto State, where official Kaoje confirmed that thousands of processed cards remain unclaimed out of the state’s 2.63 million registered voters.
Meanwhile, in Kano State, holding the nation’s second-largest voter base at 6.57 million registered voters, Public Relations Officer Nahila Bello Dandago stated that collation and collection procedures remain underway despite sluggish public turnout.
​The situation shows a mixed picture across the South-West and North-East. Ondo State stands out with a relatively high uptake, where Head of Voter Education and Publicity Olayinka Ogunseye confirmed that 1,771,326 cards have been retrieved out of 2,053,061 registered voters in the state.
Conversely, Taraba State officials reported over 29,000 cards sitting idle at local centers, while Yobe State official Waziri noted that although 283,525 new registrants were recorded, distribution centers in Damaturu continue to await the arrival of remaining printouts from national ICT headquarters.
​In response to the growing backlog, INEC has issued an urgent appeal to political parties, civil society organisations, traditional rulers, and religious leaders to assist in mobilising citizens.
The commission urges all registered voters who have not yet collected their cards to visit their designated INEC Local Government Area offices between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM daily before final collection deadlines expire.
