Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Independent National Electoral Commission will commence the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards and the display of the preliminary register of voters across Sokoto State from Friday, October 9, 2026, giving registered voters a seven-day window to collect their cards, verify their details and raise claims or objections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The exercise, scheduled to run from October 9 to October 15, 2026, will be conducted at Registration Area centres across the state's 23 local government areas. According to the commission, after the Registration Area-level exercise ends on October 15, PVC distribution will continue at INEC offices in all 23 local government areas, ensuring that voters who miss the initial window still have an opportunity to collect their cards before the elections. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Sokoto State, Habu Zarma, disclosed the arrangements, saying the commission had made adequate preparations to ensure that the exercise was orderly, peaceful and accessible to all eligible voters.
The display of the preliminary register of voters is a statutory requirement under the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates the commission to open the register for public scrutiny before it is certified as final. During the seven-day window, citizens can inspect the register at designated centres, confirm that their names, personal details and polling units are correctly captured, and file objections against entries they believe are invalid. The claims and objections process is a critical integrity mechanism, allowing communities to flag deceased persons, underage registrants and other ineligible entries. Zarma said the commission would make efforts to distribute PVCs to registered voters across all 23 local government areas and urged eligible citizens to take the exercise seriously.
The commission has consistently emphasised that the collection of PVCs will be based on personal recognition and not by proxy, meaning that no one will be permitted to pick up a card on someone else's behalf. The requirement aligns with the Electoral Act, which prohibits collection by proxy under any circumstance. The commission has said the PVC remains the primary instrument through which registered voters are accredited and permitted to cast their ballots on election day, making its collection an essential step for anyone who intends to vote in 2027.
The challenge of uncollected PVCs in Sokoto State is significant. According to figures from INEC, 74,091 Permanent Voter Cards remained uncollected in the state as of April 2026, part of a nationwide backlog of 5,965,451 uncollected cards across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Sokoto's figure, while lower than those of some other states, represents tens of thousands of registered voters who could be disenfranchised if they do not collect their cards before the elections. The commission has appealed repeatedly to registered voters to visit the designated collection centres, stressing that the cards are ready and that the only barrier to collection is the voter's own willingness to come forward.
The PVC distribution in Sokoto is taking place alongside the nationwide display of the voter register, which the commission has opened at all Registration Areas across the country's 774 local government areas. Nigeria's national voter register has risen to more than 103 million following the conclusion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration exercise, with 10,772,421 new registrations recorded after the Automated Biometric Identification System verification. In Sokoto State, the first phase of the CVR, conducted between August 25 and December 10, 2025, concluded with a week-long display of the preliminary register from December 15 to 21, 2025. The current exercise extends that process to the final register, incorporating all phases of the registration exercise.
The commission has also urged voters in Sokoto State to maintain confidence in the electoral process and to rely only on official INEC channels for information concerning the elections. The appeal comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections, which are scheduled for January 16, with the governorship and state assembly elections following on February 6. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seeking a second term on the All Progressives Congress platform, while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, former Anambra Governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement are among the major challengers. Sokoto State, with its substantial voting population and strategic location in the North-West, will be one of the key battlegrounds in the presidential contest.
The political context of the PVC distribution is significant. The commission has faced criticism over its preparations for the elections, including concerns over the integrity of the voter register and its capacity to transmit results transparently. The Supreme Court's September 28 ruling restored key provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 governing party membership registers and candidate nomination procedures, and INEC has said it will act in strict compliance with the judgment. The National Peace Committee has warned political actors against inflammatory campaigns after recording 60 election-related incidents within one month, including political violence, intimidation, threats and misinformation. The commission's decision to open the voter register and distribute PVCs simultaneously is intended to address some of these concerns by giving citizens a direct role in verifying the accuracy of the register and ensuring they have the documentation required to vote.
For the voters of Sokoto State, the coming week offers an opportunity to ensure that their details are correctly captured and that they are ready to participate in the 2027 elections. The commission has urged registered voters to visit the display centres in their Registration Areas, verify their information and raise any concerns before the register is finalised. It has also appealed to those who have yet to collect their PVCs to do so during the collection window, stressing that the exercise is free and that no payment is required. As Zarma put it, the commission has made adequate arrangements to ensure that the exercise is smooth and accessible, and it is now up to the voters of Sokoto to take advantage of the opportunity. The coming weeks will determine how many of the state's registered voters collect their cards and whether the register that emerges from the exercise reflects the true state of eligible voters in Sokoto State.
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