Precious Nwonu, Enugu
The Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced the display of the preliminary register of voters and distribution of Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The exercise, which runs from October 9 to 15, 2026, will enable registered voters to verify their details, submit claims and objections, and collect PVCs issued during the first phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
In Plateau State, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Sam Egwu, said the exercise would take place across all 207 Registration Areas between 9am and 3pm daily, including weekends.
In a statement issued in Jos on Thursday, Egwu said the exercise was being conducted in line with Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires INEC to display the voter register at least 90 days before a general election.
He urged registered voters to check their names, photographs, dates of birth, polling units and other registration details to identify errors and submit necessary claims or objections within the stipulated period.
The Plateau REC also confirmed that PVCs from the first phase of the registration exercise, conducted between August 18 and December 10, 2025, would be available for collection.
In Sokoto State, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Umar Garba, announced the same seven-day exercise while briefing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Centre.
Garba said the commission was committed to ensuring that eligible voters had the opportunity to verify their registration information and obtain their cards.
However, he clarified that PVCs relating to lost or damaged cards, transfers, updates and registrations completed during the second and third phases of the CVR were not yet available. He said INEC would announce when those cards could be collected.
According to him, PVC distribution would continue at INEC offices across Sokoto’s 23 local government areas after the Registration Area exercise ends on October 15.
Garba explained that the extension to local government offices would provide another opportunity for eligible voters who could not collect their cards at the Registration Area centres.
On security, the REC said INEC had worked closely with security agencies throughout the recent voter registration exercise, adding that their advice helped ensure the process was completed without casualties.
He also disclosed that the commission was consulting security agencies to determine the number of internally displaced persons in Sokoto State and establish arrangements for their participation in the 2027 elections.
Garba said INEC was working to ensure that eligible displaced persons in officially recognised camps could exercise their voting rights.
He added that the commission would announce the total number of registered voters in Sokoto State in due course.