In Abuja on Monday, lawmakers presented a bold proposal: the Permanent Voter Card, or PVC, would no longer be mandatory for Nigerians casting their votes. Under the amendment they tabled, eligible voters could use alternatives such as their National Identification Number, passport, or birth certificate instead.
They argue that the current Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) does not recognize the microchip embedded in PVCs, rendering the requirement obsolete. During a public hearing by the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters, the move was defended as a way to eliminate PVC-related fraud and avoid disenfranchisement.
The proposal seeks changes to Sections 18 and 47 of the 2022 Electoral Act, and the draft even suggests removing Section 22. Lawmakers hope that allowing digital downloads and printable versions of voter cards would further weaken incentives for the buying and selling of PVCs.
Many Nigerians already know the frustrations of BVAS failures. The devices have often struggled to verify fingerprints, suffered from low battery life, and failed in areas with poor internet coverage. In past elections, some voters waited for hours only for the system to reject them. Others never managed to collect their PVCs due to administrative missteps, long queues, or misplaced cards.
Critics have long alleged that result manipulation is hidden in the election transmission process itself. The proposed changes go beyond identification. They call for mandatory electronic transmission of results from polling stations to higher levels, alongside traditional uploads. Civil society groups and election advocates welcomed that part of the plan as a way to reduce tampering.
Another significant amendment seeks to impose jail time or heavy fines for presiding or collation officers who use unsigned or unstamped result sheets or ballots. The penalty would be at least one year in prison or a million-naira fine, or both.
If passed, the changes would transform how Nigerians vote, reducing reliance on a physical card no longer trusted by the system, and shifting voter verification into a mix of identity documents and digital credentials. The proposal promises greater inclusion. But it also raises questions: Can Nigeria’s election infrastructure support such change? Will power outages, network failures, or bureaucratic hurdles simply shift the problems elsewhere?
Only time will tell whether this reform will open doors or create new barriers.
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Emmanuel Onwuka