INEC Announces October 9 PVC Collection, Warns Staff Against Partisanship

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says collection of newly printed Permanent Voter Cards will begin October 9 as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced the collection exercise during a courtesy visit to the Emir of Zazzau, according to the commission's daily bulletin issued Monday.

Speaking at the North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting and Readiness Assessment in Kaduna, Amupitan warned electoral officials against partisan conduct, administrative negligence and breaches of professional ethics.

He said the commission would strictly enforce its code of conduct, stressing that the neutrality and professionalism of electoral officials were essential to public confidence in the electoral process.

Amupitan urged staff to follow established electoral procedures and report operational challenges through official channels rather than resorting to informal shortcuts.

He warned that late opening of polling units, perceived bias and poor communication during technical difficulties could undermine public confidence and fuel electoral disinformation.

The INEC chairman also reminded officials of the oath of loyalty and neutrality required under Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2026.

He said the commission's ongoing six-zone readiness assessment was designed to identify operational challenges and develop practical solutions ahead of the elections.

The Kaduna meeting is the second in the nationwide exercise, following an earlier engagement in Lagos.

On staff welfare, Amupitan said INEC had established a new salary structure and increased overhead allocations to state offices by 150% from July 2026.

He also announced the procurement and distribution of new operational vehicles to state and local government offices to improve staff mobility, security and operational efficiency.

The commission said its readiness assessment would continue across the remaining geopolitical zones, with particular attention to voter registration, technology, logistics and election operations.