Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Wednesday, replied the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, saying the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) have not expired.
INEC stated this while responding to Tinubu’s comments at a recent meeting with some of his supporters. The APC national leader had said that there had been a decline in the number of eligible voters in recent times because the PVCs have expired.
But in his reaction, the Chief Technical Adviser to INEC Chairman, Prof. Bolade Eyinla, said those who have registered for elections no longer needed to do so as their cards remain valid for future elections.
Tinubu had told his supporters to take part in the ongoing registration.
But the INEC chief warned those who have registered not to do a second registration because the PVCs issued in recent years remain valid for all future elections in the country.
“This information is not correct. The PVC issued to all previously registered voters remains valid. This kind of statement will certainly push eligible voters to register more than once thereby creating the problem of double and multiple registrations,” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said that Nigerians already having their PVCs need not register again.
Oyekanmi, however, said, “In fact, double registration is an offence under our laws. Eligible Nigerians are entitled to register only once. Once a name appears on the National Register of Voters, it stays there permanently.
“One of the very few instances where a name could be removed from the register is if there’s a strong and verifiable proof that the person bearing the name has died.”