The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Wednesday, said that about 20 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) remain unclaimed in its vault, and is saying this may affect voter turnout in the 2023 general elections.

The commission also criticised the poor participation of citizens in the ongoing continuous voters’ registration exercise.

INEC Deputy Director (Voter Education), Mary Nkem, stated these in Abuja during the launch of the PVC Bus Drive project, organised by a non-governmental organisation, the Advocacy for Civic Engagement.

Nkem said, “This CVR exercise began on June 30 2021, but we have discovered that between that time and a few weeks ago, the turnout has been relatively low.

“If the youths in this country would come out en masse to cast their votes, we will no longer be recording 15 or 20 per cent voter turnout in our elections, because we know that the population of the youths alone can make a difference.

“The youths no longer visit social media, they basically live there today. Therefore, when you want to reach out to them, you must go to where you will meet them.

“However, I will like to say that INEC does not conduct an election on social media nor do we count ballots on Twitter or Instagram.

“Our ballots are counted in the ballot box. It is only the ballot paper that enters into the ballot box that the commission counts.

“So, what does that mean? It means that on election day people must go out to cast their votes. For you to be able to do so, you must be a registered voter and in possession of a PVC.”

The Executive Director, Advocacy for Civic Engagement, Obinna Osisiogu, said that PVC Bus Drive Project would support at least 60 per cent of eligible young voters to register, collect their Permanent Voters Cards and vote in the 2023 elections.

According to him, the project was initiated to eliminate the logistical barriers hindering some Nigerians, particularly those residing in rural areas from participating in the ongoing continuous voters’ registration exercise and collecting their PVCs thereafter.

The INEC says its ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will end on June 30.

The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, in his remarks at the Commission’s quarterly meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), said INEC would suspend online pre-registration by May 30.

“Both the online pre-registration as well as the physical registration at designated centres are taking place simultaneously.

“However, online pre-registrants would require time to schedule appointments to complete their registration physically at designated centres.

“For this reason, the Commission has decided to suspend the online registration in the next three weeks, that is May 30.

“This will enable the online registrants to complete their registration physically at the designated centres before the exercise is suspended on June 30.

“This will enable the Commission to clean up the registration data, print the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and compile the register ahead of the 2023 General Election,” Yakubu said.

But, there have been complaints with registration:

@von_Bismack: Dear @inecnigeria, Your staff all over the Southeast are charging people upwards of a thousand naira to register them, claiming that they need it to buy data. Is it that you people with your humongous budget didn’t budget for data for your staff? This is disgraceful.

@Skidoolina__: Hey @inecnigeria, I have been trying to change my Polling unit but my ward is not on your list in the portal. Do I have to go to the INEC office in my local government to do this simple thing?

@Obi4Nigeria: Many were systematically disenfranchised by not giving them these cards….many couldn’t find a location to collect the card, and others couldn’t find their card after several attempts at the INEC office. Some of these were deliberate.

Is INEC listening?