The INEC has proposed significant reforms to improve Nigeria’s electoral system, based on the 2023 elections and stakeholder feedback, with a focus on identification, early voting, and result management.

INEC Chairman Professor Yakubu Mahmood disclosed this during a consultative meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) of the commission, which was held at the INEC conference room, Abuja, on Thursday, 12th December 2024, stating that the commission has released a 524-page main report on the election on the commission website.

Professor Yakubu further explained that in the report, based on the consultations sought both internally and externally, the Commission “identified 142 recommendations dealing with the general state of preparedness, voter management, voter education and public communication, political parties and candidate management, electoral operations and logistics management, election officials and personnel, partnership and collaboration, monitoring and supervision, election technology, voting and result management, election security, electoral offences and the electoral legal framework”.

The INEC boss noted that out of the 142 recommendations, 86 would require administrative action by the Commission, 48 recommendations would also seek action from different stakeholders, including security agencies, mobile network operators, statutory bodies, political parties, transport unions, civil society organisations, and other logistical providing bodies, while 8 recommendations would require lawmakers’ actions.

Breaking down the proposed reforms, Professor Yakubu said the commission is considering whether or not the use of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) should remain the sole means of identification for voter accreditation on election day, adding that even though “Those who already have the PVCs can still use them to vote, but in the future, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or even downloaded from the Commission’s website will suffice for voter accreditation. This will not only save cost, it will also eliminate the issues around the collection of PVCs and the diabolical practice of buying up the cards from voters to disenfranchise them”.

He said the commission is also considering early voting for the election frontliners, like the INEC officials, security personnel, ad hoc staff, observers and journalists who do not vote due to their responsibilities on election day.

“Very soon, the Commission will make a presentation to the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Electoral Matters as they continue to deliberate on electoral reform. Among the major highlights of the Commission’s recommendations is the imperative of legal clarity in result management, about manual transfer versus the electronic transmission of results, he said.

“The Commission also believes that with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the use of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) as the sole means of identification for voter accreditation on Election Day should be reviewed.

“Those who already have the PVCs can still use them to vote, but in the future, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or even downloaded from the Commission’s website will suffice for voter accreditation. This will not only save cost, but it will also eliminate the issues around the collection of PVCs and the diabolical practice of buying up the cards from voters to disenfranchise them.

“The review report also contains recommendations on early/special voting for the millions of Nigerians who do not vote at the moment on account of the roles they play during elections, such as INEC officials, security personnel, ad hoc staff, observers and journalists who are deployed outside the places where they registered to vote”.