Ekiti REC Urges Voters to Verify Details, Collect PVCs

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has urged registered voters in Ekiti State who are yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards to take advantage of a seven-day window beginning Friday, October 9, to collect their cards and verify their details on the voters’ register. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti State, Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi, made the appeal during the official flag-off and stakeholders’ engagement on the display of the preliminary voters’ register and PVC collection in Ado-Ekiti. Omoseyindemi, represented at the event by the Head of the Department of General Administration and Procurement, Alhaji Tiamiyu Arowolo, said the exercise would run from Friday, October 9, to Thursday, October 15, 2026. The exercise will allow eligible voters to examine the preliminary register and raise claims or objections where necessary. According to INEC, the preliminary register will be displayed at designated Registration Areas and local government headquarters across the state from 9am to 3pm daily during the seven-day exercise. Voters to check names, photographs and biometrics The commission said the display of the preliminary register was intended to give eligible citizens an opportunity to confirm that their electoral information had been correctly captured. Voters will be able to verify their names, photographs, biometric details and other personal information contained in the register. Those who discover omissions, misspellings or other errors will also be able to submit claims for corrections during the exercise. INEC said members of the public could equally raise objections against entries involving alleged underage persons, deceased individuals, non-Nigerian citizens or cases of multiple registration, provided relevant evidence was presented. The exercise is part of INEC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections and follows the completion of the latest Continuous Voter Registration exercise. At the national level, INEC said the three-phase registration exercise produced more than 10.7 million new registrants and pushed the national register of voters above 103 million. The commission also said it had completed its final Automated Biometric Identification System clean-up of the register. INEC trains personnel for exercise The Ekiti REC said INEC had trained personnel who would oversee the display of the register and PVC collection across the state. He said the training was designed to ensure that officials understood the procedures governing the exercise and could properly assist voters. The commission also directed its officials to maintain impartiality, transparency and integrity throughout the process. Officials were warned against negligence, absenteeism, political bias, favouritism, extortion and unauthorised alteration of electoral records. The REC stressed that the integrity of the voters’ register was essential to public confidence in the electoral process. INEC also said arrangements had been made to ensure that vulnerable groups, including elderly people, pregnant women, nursing mothers and persons with disabilities, could participate in the exercise. INEC urges active participation The commission urged registered voters who had not collected their PVCs to use the available period rather than wait until the 2027 general elections approach. INEC's voter services portal also allows registered voters to check the status of their PVCs and locate collection centres. The commission has repeatedly stressed that citizens should verify their electoral information and ensure that errors are corrected during the designated period. For Ekiti residents, the October 9 to 15 exercise provides an opportunity not only to collect outstanding PVCs but also to scrutinise the preliminary register and raise legitimate concerns about entries that may require correction or objection. The exercise is expected to involve political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders, who have also been encouraged to participate in scrutinising the register. With preparations for the 2027 general elections underway, INEC said an accurate and credible voters’ register remained an important part of ensuring an orderly electoral process. The commission therefore urged eligible voters across Ekiti State to take advantage of the exercise and confirm that their details are correctly reflected in the preliminary register.