By Emmanuella Opara Isioma | October 15th 2026
KEY POINTS
- -INEC has urged Akwa Ibom residents to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
- -Resident Electoral Commissioner Anugbum Onuoha expressed concern over the turnout at collection centres in Uyo.
- -Residents who registered between August and December 2025 were advised to visit designated centres to obtain their cards.
- -Residents who spoke during the monitoring exercise described the collection process as orderly, fast and free.
MAIN STORY
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on residents of Akwa Ibom State to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that only registered voters with their cards will be able to participate in the polls.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Prof. Anugbum Onuoha, made the appeal on Wednesday while monitoring PVC collection centres across Uyo metropolis.
Onuoha said he was assessing the effectiveness of the collection exercise but expressed dissatisfaction with the number of residents turning up to obtain their cards.
Although residents were visiting the centres, he said the turnout was below expectations, urging eligible voters to take advantage of the exercise before the elections.
“It is important to collect your PVC, having a voter card is a condition for participating in elections.
“Anyone who has not registered or collected their PVC will not be able to vote in the forthcoming elections,” he said.
The REC specifically urged residents who completed their voter registration between August and December 2025 to visit the designated collection centres and obtain their cards.
He also commended INEC officials working at the centres for their patience and diligence, while calling on the media to intensify public education on the importance of PVC collection.
Onuoha described the media as a critical stakeholder in the electoral process, stressing the need for continued public awareness ahead of the 2027 elections.
Residents who spoke during the monitoring exercise also commended INEC officials for their conduct and the organisation of the collection process.
A resident, Akanimo Paul, described the officials as thorough and well-mannered, encouraging others who had yet to collect their cards to do so.
“I am impressed with the process, I encourage others who have yet to collect their PVCs to take advantage of this opportunity,” he said.
Another resident, Mrs Grace Nsikan, said the exercise was fast, free and satisfactory, noting that the process was peaceful.
“You can see that the situation is calm. There is no fighting, there is not struggling at all,” she said.
THE ISSUES
PVC collection remains an important step in preparing eligible voters for the 2027 general elections. While INEC is conducting collection exercises, the level of participation depends partly on whether registered voters come forward to obtain their cards.
Onuoha’s concern over turnout highlights the need for sustained voter education to ensure that residents who have registered do not miss the opportunity to collect their PVCs.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“It is important to collect your PVC, having a voter card is a condition for participating in elections. Anyone who has not registered or collected their PVC will not be able to vote in the forthcoming elections,” Prof. Anugbum Onuoha, Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, said.
“I am impressed with the process, I encourage others who have yet to collect their PVCs to take advantage of this opportunity,” Akanimo Paul, a resident of Uyo, said.
“You can see that the situation is calm. There is no fighting, there is not struggling at all,” Mrs Grace Nsikan, a resident of Uyo, said.
WHAT’S NEXT
Residents who registered between August and December 2025 are expected to visit designated INEC collection centres to obtain their PVCs. Public awareness efforts by INEC and the media will also be important in encouraging more eligible voters to complete the process ahead of the 2027 elections.
BOTTOM LINE
INEC is urging Akwa Ibom residents to collect their PVCs ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the state’s REC expressing concern over turnout at collection centres in Uyo. The commission’s message is clear: eligible voters must obtain their cards to participate in the forthcoming polls.
