The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says there are 29,314 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) that people have not collected in Taraba State before the 2027 general elections.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Taraba, Sa’ad Idris, shared this information on Monday during a meeting in Jalingo. The meeting focused on election planning, PVC distribution, and working together ahead of the elections.
Mr Idris explained that the uncollected cards include 13,826 old PVCs given out between 2011 and 2023 and 15,488 new cards made during the first phase of the 2025 voter registration exercise. He mentioned that INEC received 15,568 old PVCs, but only 1,742, which is about 11 percent, have been collected.
He added that from the 31,676 new cards received from the first phase of the 2025 registration, 16,188, which is 51 percent, have been collected. The REC said that the low collection rate is due to a lack of awareness among voters. He urged political parties, traditional leaders, religious leaders, and others to encourage eligible voters to collect their cards.
INEC plans to continue distributing PVCs at its offices across all 16 local government areas in Taraba from October 19 to November 30. This will be done on weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will not include public holidays.
Mr Idris announced that a final distribution exercise will take place at the Registration Area level from December 1 to 7. This will cover all phases of registration, transfers, and replacements for requests made between August 18, 2025, and July 26, 2026.
He also mentioned that INEC has made efforts to bring PVC distribution closer to residents by displaying the Preliminary Register of Voters. This was done during a claims and objections exercise conducted at ward and Registration Area levels from October 9 to 15, 2026.
According to him, 2,254,380 registered voters were recorded in the register displayed during the exercise. However, he said this number is not final because INEC is still processing complaints and claims from the public. He promised that the final number will be announced after all data has been integrated.
As for preparations for the 2027 elections, Mr Idris said INEC has started renovating some of its offices and training staff. They are also mapping out electoral facilities across Taraba to ensure everything runs smoothly on election day.
He added that testing for the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is complete, and a mock accreditation exercise is planned for November to check the technology's readiness for the elections.
The REC mentioned that recruitment for election officials began on September 18, 2026. He urged qualified Nigerians to apply through INEC's recruitment portal before the deadline on November 18.
He also said that INEC is working with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for vehicle hire and transport arrangements. This is to make sure election personnel and materials can move around the state on time.
The Taraba State Commissioner of Police, Edwin Ogbeghagha, assured political parties that the police will stay neutral during the 2027 elections. He warned politicians and their supporters against any violence that could disrupt the voting process.
Mr Ogbeghagha said security agencies are ready to work with political parties and others to ensure peaceful elections before, during, and after the polls. He urged political actors to avoid treating elections as a do-or-die matter, emphasizing that a credible and peaceful electoral process needs everyone's cooperation.
He also encouraged political parties to inform security agencies about their campaign activities and cooperate with them to prevent any clashes or threats to public safety. The police commissioner said the police will be available to political parties, respond to their complaints, and provide necessary guidance without favoring any party.
The Director-General of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Kuriya Tafarki, praised INEC for gathering political parties, security agencies, civil society groups, and other stakeholders before the elections. Mr Tafarki, who has been involved in electoral activities for nearly 30 years, called for ongoing communication among stakeholders to resolve issues and prevent disputes.
He urged security agencies to act quickly on complaints related to elections and expressed worries about deploying personnel who do not understand the local languages and cultures of their assigned areas. The IPAC director-general said better communication and cooperation among all parties will help ensure peaceful elections in 2027.
The Aku Uka of Wukari, Ishaku Ali, who was represented at the meeting, assured that traditional rulers in Taraba are committed to peaceful elections and encouraging voter turnout. He said traditional institutions will stay neutral while motivating residents to fulfill their civic duties.
The monarch urged politicians and their supporters to see each other as fellow Nigerians, regardless of their political differences, and to promote peaceful participation in the electoral process.
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