ADC Warns INEC Against Bias, Says PVC Collection Matters More Than Registration Figures
By Sunday Etuka
The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prove its neutrality ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that millions of newly registered voters must be able to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) without obstruction.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the Council responded to INEC’s World Press Conference held a day earlier.
It said the credibility of the polls would depend largely on the Commission’s transparency and independence from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ologbondiyan argued that registration statistics mean little if citizens cannot obtain their cards.
“Reading out figures of registration is nothing. What matters is the number of cards actually collected by Nigerians,” he said, adding that a citizen’s power on election day comes from holding a PVC, not from having a name on a register.
The Council raised concern over alleged bureaucratic bottlenecks and delays at PVC collection centres, particularly in areas regarded as opposition strongholds.
It urged INEC to ensure that no Nigerian is disenfranchised through administrative obstacles, deliberate delays or unequal access to the cards.
“We urge INEC to be independent and not take orders from the APC,” Ologbondiyan said, stressing that the Commission must remain an unbiased umpire and not operate as an extension of the ruling party.
He added that the ADC would insist on full compliance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act from registration to the declaration of results.
The ADC-PCC said its presidential candidate remains ready to contest the 2027 election, provided INEC guarantees a process that is free, fair, credible and free of violence or manipulation.
It also said the party was closely monitoring the Commission’s activities, noting that Nigerians and the international democratic community were watching as well.
Ologbondiyan said Nigerians had endured hardship and could not afford another compromised election, describing 2027 as an opportunity for a “rescue mission” through the ballot.
“Any attempt to rig or tilt the process in favour of the ruling party will be met with lawful and resolute resistance from the people,” he warned.
He further cautioned against unequal distribution or delayed release of PVCs.
“When PVCs are made available in APC strongholds and hidden in opposition areas, then democracy is under threat,” he said, adding that INEC must not become a political party or earn a place in history as the body that set Nigeria ablaze by serving a party instead of the nation.
The Council called on INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, to decentralise PVC collection to the ward level, extend collection hours and deploy technology to notify voters when their cards are ready.
It also appealed to Nigerians, especially first-time voters, not to be discouraged by administrative challenges but to take part actively and ensure they collect their PVCs.
“INEC’s loyalty must be to the Constitution, not to the APC,” Ologbondiyan said, expressing the ADC’s commitment to an election where every eligible Nigerian can vote and every legitimate vote counts.
