The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recommended the use of computer-generated voting slips as an alternative to Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for voting.
This proposal was made by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during a quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja.
According to Yakubu, the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) makes it possible to explore alternative means of voter accreditation.
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He emphasized that PVCs should no longer be the sole requirement for voting.
The commission has identified 142 recommendations for electoral reform, which include the use of computer-generated voting slips, early voting for journalists and other essential workers, diaspora voting, and the establishment of an electoral offenses tribunal.
Yakubu disclosed that 86 of the recommendations require administrative action by the commission, while 48 require action from various stakeholders, including security agencies, political parties, and civil society organizations. Eight recommendations require legislative action by the National Assembly.
The commission also plans to develop protocols for cleaning up the voters’ register in collaboration with other agencies, such as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Population Commission (NPC).