The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently address delays in the production, distribution and collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), warning that administrative bottlenecks must not disenfranchise Nigerians who have successfully completed the voter registration process.

The party urged INEC to publish a clear and comprehensive nationwide timetable showing when newly registered voters can expect to receive their PVCs and where the cards will be available for collection.

In a statement signed by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said Nigerians who participated in the voter registration exercise are entitled to certainty and timely access to the voter cards required to exercise their constitutional right to vote.

“You cannot register Nigerians to vote and then make them run from office to office searching for the card that enables them to exercise that right. Registration without access to a PVC is disenfranchisement by another route,” the ADC said.

The party specifically called on the electoral commission to provide state-by-state data on the number of newly registered voters, PVCs produced, cards distributed, outstanding cards and designated collection centres.

According to the ADC, greater transparency would help registered voters plan for the collection of their cards while enabling stakeholders to identify and address gaps in the distribution process before they become more serious obstacles to participation.

The party also urged INEC to intensify public information campaigns and decentralise PVC collection wherever practicable. It said distance, bureaucratic procedures and inadequate communication should not become barriers preventing eligible citizens from participating in the electoral process.

“With the general election approaching, Nigerians should not be left wondering whether their cards will arrive in time. This is not a logistical footnote. It goes to the heart of the credibility of the election itself,” the ADC stated.

The party said it would deploy its structures across the country to monitor the distribution of PVCs and document complaints from registered voters who encounter difficulties in obtaining their cards.

The ADC cautioned against waiting until the eve of the election to address the problem, saying such an approach could create unnecessary confusion and undermine confidence in the electoral process.

“We do not want an election-eve scramble, excuses or emergency promises. INEC has the opportunity to resolve this matter now, transparently and comprehensively,” the party said.

The ADC further stressed that every eligible Nigerian must be given a fair opportunity to participate in the election, regardless of location.

“Every PVC that remains unnecessarily unavailable represents a citizen whose constitutional voice is at risk of being silenced. That must not be allowed to happen,” the party declared.

The ADC therefore urged INEC to treat the timely production and distribution of PVCs as a matter of democratic urgency and to provide Nigerians with the information and access necessary to exercise their right to vote.