The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure neutrality and transparency ahead of the 2027 general election, saying Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection matters more than registration figures.
The council stated this on Wednesday in a press statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, in reaction to INEC’s World Press Conference held on Tuesday.
The ADC-PCC said its presidential candidate remained prepared to participate in the 2027 election, provided INEC guaranteed an election that was free, fair, credible and devoid of violence or manipulation.
Ologbondiyan said INEC must demonstrate independence and resist attempts to influence its decisions or operations.
According to him, the publication of impressive voter registration figures would serve little purpose if registered voters were unable to obtain their PVCs.
“Reading out figures of registration is nothing. What matters is the number of cards actually collected by Nigerians. What gives a citizen power on election day is not that his name is in a register somewhere, but that he has his PVC in his hand,” he said.
The ADC-PCC expressed concern over bureaucratic bottlenecks and delays at PVC collection centres, particularly in areas considered strongholds of opposition parties.
It urged INEC to ensure that no Nigerian was disenfranchised through administrative obstacles, delays or unequal access to voter cards.
“We urge INEC to be independent and not take orders from the APC. INEC must remain an unbiased umpire and not operate as an extension of the ruling party,” Ologbondiyan said.
He stressed that the ADC would insist on full compliance with the Constitution and Electoral Act throughout the electoral process.
“The ADC won’t allow anything short of compliance with our electoral laws. We demand full transparency, neutrality and strict adherence to due process from registration to declaration of results,” he said.
The council said it was closely monitoring the activities of INEC ahead of 2027 and that Nigerians and the international democratic community were equally watching.
“We are carefully watching every step of INEC. Nigerians and the international community too. The Commission should stay neutral, as no institution should push Nigerians to the wall by compromising the electoral process,” he said.
Ologbondiyan said Nigerians had endured enormous hardship and could not afford an election compromised by manipulation or institutional bias, adding that 2027 was viewed as an opportunity to effect change through the ballot.
“Let it be clear to INEC that the 2027 general election is not business as usual. Nigerians have endured hardship, hunger and misgovernance under APC. They see 2027 as an opportunity for a rescue mission. 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 said.
The ADC-PCC warned against unequal distribution or delayed release of PVCs, saying democracy would be endangered if the electoral umpire abandoned neutrality.
“When INEC begins to take dictation from the ruling party, when PVCs are made available in APC strongholds and hidden in opposition areas, then democracy is under threat. INEC must not become a political party,” Ologbondiyan said.
The council called on INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, to decentralise PVC collection to ward level, extend collection hours and deploy technology to notify voters when cards were ready.
It appealed to Nigerians, particularly first-time voters, not to be discouraged by administrative challenges but to participate actively and ensure they collected their PVCs.
“This country belongs to all of us. INEC’s loyalty must be to the Constitution, not to APC. The ADC stands with Nigerians in demanding an election where votes count and where the PVC truly becomes a weapon for the people to change their destiny,” Ologbondiyan said.
