More than 14 million voter cards remain uncollected in Nigeria
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Vanguard
More than 14 million Nigerian voter cards remain uncollected, according to a Vanguard survey across several states. The electoral commission is stepping up its mobilisation efforts ahead of the presidential election scheduled for 16 January, while collection data remains incomplete in several states, Vanguard reports.
More than 14 million permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) remain uncollected in Nigeria, three weeks after distribution began, according to the daily Vanguard, which cited checks in several states and data from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This could prevent their holders from taking part in the forthcoming presidential election, scheduled for 16 January.
The INEC registered 10,772,421 new voters in the latest continuous registration exercise. Before the 2023 general elections, 6.26 million cards had not been collected, according to Vanguard.
Plateau, Taraba, Jigawa, Bayelsa and Benue are among the states with the most cards awaiting collection. Plateau has around 95,000 from previous exercises, compared with 29,314 in Taraba and 33,079 in Jigawa. In Bayelsa, 52,225 cards from the first phase of the recent registration are still awaiting collection. Benue also recorded the collection of 58,581 cards during the recent display of the electoral register, according to Vanguard.
Figures remain incomplete in several states. Kano has yet to compile data from its 44 local government areas, while INEC officials in Borno, Bauchi and Kebbi have not provided their results. The electoral agency is stepping up its mobilisation efforts to increase card collection, as voter registers grow notably in Sokoto, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Ogun and Kaduna.
