…Warns Against Electoral Violence
By Saviour Ekpe
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom State has announced the commencement of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collection at its Local Government Area offices, urging eligible voters to collect their cards ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Prof. Anugbum Onuoha, disclosed this during a press briefing held on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at the INEC State Office in Uyo. According to him, PVC collection at Registration Area (Ward) levels, which began on October 9, will end on Thursday, October 15, while collection will move to INEC offices across the state’s 31 local government areas from Friday, October 16.
He urged eligible voters who registered during the first phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, conducted between August and December 2025, to visit their designated collection centres and obtain their PVCs promptly rather than wait until a few days before the election.
Prof. Onuoha said the Commission was also expecting PVCs from the second and third phases of the CVR exercise, adding that further information on their availability and collection arrangements would be communicated to the public. The REC said INEC had intensified voter education and sensitisation activities across the state as part of preparations for the 2027 General Election.
He disclosed that the Commission had visited several local government areas, engaged stakeholders and commenced weekly radio programmes to educate residents on electoral procedures, voter responsibilities and the importance of peaceful participation. He added that voter education jingles had been produced and translated for broadcast on selected radio and television stations to sensitise residents about PVC collection and other electoral activities. The REC called on community leaders, religious institutions, civil society organisations, market associations, youth groups, political parties and the media to support the Commission’s voter education initiatives.
On the participation of persons with disabilities, Prof. Onuoha said INEC remained committed to ensuring that no eligible voter was excluded from the electoral process because of disability or other barriers.
He announced that the Commission would hold a sensitisation programme on Friday, October 16, in Uyo, for persons with disabilities under the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), electoral officers and other voter education stakeholders. According to him, the programme is designed to improve awareness of the electoral rights of persons with disabilities, promote accessible voter education and encourage their active participation in the forthcoming elections.
On the recruitment of ad hoc election personnel, the REC disclosed that the Commission had commenced the recruitment process for eligible Nigerians interested in serving during the 2027 General Election. He advised prospective applicants to visit INEC’s official recruitment portal at https://pres.inecnigeria.org/ and comply with the application guidelines, noting that the portal was expected to close on November 18, 2026. He also cautioned applicants against falling victim to individuals seeking to exploit the recruitment exercise, urging them to rely solely on official INEC communication channels for information on eligibility, procedures and deadlines.
On election timelines, Prof. Onuoha said INEC had implemented nine of the 14 activities outlined in its timetable for the 2027 General Election. He identified the publication of the final list of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates on October 10 as the ninth activity completed.
He reminded political parties that the deadline for submitting the names of their polling agents for the Presidential and National Assembly Elections was December 10, 2026, while the deadline for the Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections was January 6, 2027.
The REC further disclosed that INEC had conducted training programmes for different categories of staff to strengthen their technical competence and operational readiness ahead of the elections.
He said the Commission had also commenced the receipt of some non-sensitive election materials, with arrangements underway for their distribution to the 31 local government areas for sorting, batching and subsequent deployment.
On the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), Prof. Onuoha said the Commission had conducted a readiness assessment of the devices, with the reports forwarded to its headquarters for further consideration and necessary action. He added that technical checks and operational preparations would continue to ensure that the devices were ready for deployment in accordance with approved procedures.
Addressing election security, the REC said INEC had continued to collaborate with relevant security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to strengthen security planning and coordination. He called on political parties, candidates and their supporters to conduct their activities responsibly, insisting that political campaigns must be issue-based, peaceful and free from violence, hate speech, harassment, intimidation and the use of thugs.
He also urged residents to reject electoral violence and report credible threats to the appropriate authorities. Prof. Onuoha called on the media to remain a trusted partner of the Commission by disseminating accurate and timely information, correcting misinformation and promoting peaceful political participation. He reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to conducting a free, fair, credible, transparent, inclusive and peaceful 2027 General Election, stressing that the success of the exercise required the cooperation of all stakeholders.