Ekiti Poll: INEC Records 97.1% PVC Collection Rate, Voter Register Hits 1.06m
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the successful conclusion of the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection exercise for the Ekiti State governorship election, revealing that over 1.02 million voters have collected their cards ahead of Saturday's poll.
The commission disclosed that the number of registered voters in the state increased from 987,647 in 2023 to 1,059,360 in 2026 following the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and subsequent clean-up of the voters' register.
INEC, in a statement issued on Wednesday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said 1,028,929 PVCs had been collected, representing 97.1 per cent of registered voters.
The figure marks a slight improvement from the 2023 governorship election when 958,052 PVCs were collected, representing a 97 per cent collection rate.
The commission noted that the PVC collection exercise, initially scheduled to end on June 11, was extended to June 14 following consultations with stakeholders at a meeting held in Ado-Ekiti.
According to INEC, all eligible applicants, including those who registered during the CVR exercise, transferred their registration to Ekiti State, or applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced PVCs, had their cards printed and made available for collection.
The electoral body disclosed that it received 14,406 applications for replacement PVCs in line with the provisions of Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates the commission to provide replacement cards to voters whose original PVCs were lost, damaged or defaced.
Haruna said all 14,406 replacement cards were produced, with the majority already collected by their owners.
INEC, however, explained that it was unable to introduce the proposed downloadable voter card option for affected voters because the required technological infrastructure had yet to be completed.
“The option of a downloadable copy of the lost, damaged or defaced voter cards could not be implemented in this election because the necessary technology infrastructure for this is yet to be completed,” the commission stated.
It added that the innovation is expected to be available for future elections, beginning with the Osun State governorship election in August 2026 and the 2027 general election.
The commission commended traditional rulers, community leaders, civil society organisations, political parties and the media for supporting voter mobilisation efforts and encouraging citizens to collect their PVCs.
As preparations for Saturday's governorship election enter the final stage, INEC urged all eligible voters who have collected their PVCs to come out peacefully and exercise their civic responsibility.
The commission reassured residents of Ekiti State of its commitment to delivering a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election.
