The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that 116,745 Permanent Voter Cards belonging to newly registered voters in Lagos State are yet to be collected, less than three months before the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections.
The commission’s Administrative Secretary in Lagos, Mrs Adenike Tadese, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday.
Tadese said INEC had received 177,295 PVCs belonging to eligible residents who registered during the first phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise in 2025.
However, the commission’s weekly update as of Monday showed that only 60,550 cards had been collected, leaving 116,745 awaiting collection.
The figures mean that approximately 65.8 per cent of the PVCs received for the first phase of the registration exercise in Lagos remain with the commission.
Tadese described the uncollected cards as a significant number of eligible voters who need to obtain their PVCs to participate in the 2027 general elections.
She said the cards were available at INEC’s local government offices across Lagos State, stressing that collection must be done personally by the registered owners.
“The cards are available for collection by their owners, not by proxy, at the various local government offices of the commission in Lagos,” she said.
The administrative secretary urged stakeholders, including community leaders and political organisations, to encourage registered residents to collect their cards.
She said the appeal covered not only people who registered during the 2025 exercise but also previous registrants who had yet to obtain their PVCs.
Tadese also disclosed that cards belonging to eligible residents who completed registration during the 2026 CVR exercise would soon be ready for collection.
She urged voters to maintain orderliness at collection centres and avoid actions capable of disrupting the process.
The latest figures come as INEC intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections, with nationwide collection of newly issued PVCs having commenced on October 9, 2026.
The commission’s Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, had announced the commencement date following the conclusion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration exercise, which recorded more than 10.7 million new registrations nationwide.
In Lagos, INEC introduced QR codes in October to help eligible voters locate designated PVC collection centres. The codes were made available through the commission’s website and social media platforms.
The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections in participating states are fixed for February 6, 2027.
With the elections approaching, INEC has repeatedly urged eligible voters to verify their registration details and collect their cards ahead of polling day.
Tadese reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to conducting free, fair and credible elections in Lagos State.
She also appealed to political parties, candidates and other stakeholders to ensure peaceful campaigns and comply with electoral regulations.
The commission urged political actors to play by the rules and help maintain a peaceful environment throughout the election period.
