— PVC Collection, Not Registration Figures, Matters
By Our Reporter
The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain strict neutrality ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning against any action that could create the perception that the electoral process is being tilted in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Council also called on INEC to prioritise the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) by eligible voters, arguing that voter-registration figures would have limited practical value if registered citizens are unable to obtain their cards before election day.
The ADC-PCC made the position known on Wednesday in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, in reaction to INEC’s World Press Conference held on Tuesday.
INEC is responsible for organising and overseeing Nigeria’s elections, while its current chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, has publicly stated that the Commission’s mandate is to deliver free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive elections.
ADC-PCC Demands Electoral Neutrality
Ologbondiyan said the ADC presidential candidate remained prepared to participate in the 2027 election, provided INEC guaranteed an electoral process that was free, fair, credible and devoid of violence or manipulation.
He urged the Commission to demonstrate its independence by resisting any attempt by political parties to influence its decisions or operations.
According to him, the publication of voter-registration figures would mean little if registered voters subsequently encountered difficulties collecting their PVCs.
“Reading out figures of registration is nothing. What matters is the number of cards actually collected by Nigerians. What gives a citizen power on election day is not that his name is in a register somewhere, but that he has his PVC in his hand,” he said.
INEC itself publishes separate statistics for registered voters and collected PVCs, including polling-unit-level PVC data, underscoring the distinction between registration and card collection.
Party Raises Concern Over PVC Collection
The ADC-PCC expressed concern about what it described as bureaucratic bottlenecks and delays at PVC collection centres, particularly in areas it considers strongholds of opposition parties.
The Council called on INEC to ensure that eligible Nigerians are not disenfranchised through administrative obstacles, delays or unequal access to voter cards.
“We urge INEC to be independent and not take orders from the APC. INEC must remain an unbiased umpire and not operate as an extension of the ruling party,” Ologbondiyan said.
The allegation represents the ADC-PCC’s position and was not independently established in the statement.
ADC Demands Compliance With Electoral Laws
Ologbondiyan said the ADC would insist on compliance with the Constitution and applicable electoral laws throughout the 2027 electoral process.
“The ADC won’t allow anything short of compliance with our electoral laws. We demand full transparency, neutrality and strict adherence to due process from registration to declaration of results,” he said.
The Commission has previously stated that its 2027 electoral timetable was prepared in accordance with the Constitution and electoral legislation. INEC has fixed the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, while the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for March 6, 2027.
‘Nigerians and International Community Are Watching’
The ADC-PCC also said it was monitoring INEC’s activities ahead of the elections, adding that Nigerians and members of the international democratic community were paying close attention to the electoral process.
“We are carefully watching every step of INEC. Nigerians and the international community do too. The Commission should stay neutral, as no institution should push Nigerians to the wall by compromising the electoral process,” Ologbondiyan said.
He argued that Nigerians had endured significant economic and social difficulties and should not face an electoral process that, in the Council’s view, could be compromised by manipulation or institutional bias.
ADC-PCC: 2027 Election Must Be Credible
Ologbondiyan described the 2027 general election as an important opportunity for Nigerians to exercise their constitutional right to choose their leaders through the ballot.
“Let it be clear to INEC that the 2027 general election is not business as usual. Nigerians have endured hardship, hunger and misgovernance under the APC. They see 2027 as an opportunity for a rescue mission,” he said.
He warned that any attempt to manipulate the process or tilt it towards the ruling party would, according to the Council, be resisted through lawful democratic means.
Council Warns Against Unequal PVC Distribution
The ADC-PCC further cautioned INEC against what it described as unequal distribution or delayed release of PVCs.
Ologbondiyan argued that democracy would be endangered if the electoral commission abandoned its neutrality or was perceived as serving partisan interests.
“When INEC begins to take dictation from the ruling party, when PVCs are made available in APC strongholds and hidden in opposition areas, then democracy is under threat,” he said.
He urged INEC not to become associated with any political party and called on the Commission to protect public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.
INEC has previously emphasised that its allegiance is to the Constitution, electoral law and the electorate, and has repeatedly called on political parties and stakeholders to support peaceful and credible elections.
ADC Calls for Decentralised PVC Collection
The ADC-PCC called on the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, to decentralise PVC collection to the ward level, extend collection hours and deploy technology to notify voters when their cards are ready for collection.
The Council also appealed to Nigerians, particularly first-time voters, not to be discouraged by administrative challenges but to participate actively in the electoral process and ensure that they collect their PVCs.
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The Council said it remained committed to a democratic process in which every eligible Nigerian would have an equal opportunity to vote and every legitimate vote would count.
“This country belongs to all of us. INEC’s loyalty must be to the Constitution, not to the APC. The ADC stands with Nigerians in demanding an election where votes count and where the PVC truly becomes the weapon of the people to change their destiny,” Ologbondiyan said.
The statement adds to growing political scrutiny of INEC as political parties prepare for the 2027 general elections.
