The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced the commencement of the display of the preliminary register of voters and distribution of Permanent Voter Cards across Sokoto State from Friday, October 9, to Thursday, October 15, 2026.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Umar Yusuf Garba, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing journalists on the commission’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Garba, who was at the NUJ press centre, said the exercise was part of INEC’s activities ahead of the 2027 elections, adding that the commission was committed to ensuring that eligible voters were given the opportunity to verify their registration details and collect their PVCs.
He said the exercise would take place at Registration Area centres across the state, particularly in locations without security concerns.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission will commence the display of the preliminary register of voters for claims and objections, as well as the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards from the 9th to the 15th of October 2026,” Garba said.
According to him, the PVCs available for collection are those belonging to voters who registered between August 18 and December 10, 2025, during the first phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
“The PVCs currently available are exclusively for newly registered voters from the first phase of the last continuous voter registration exercise,” he explained.
He, however, said PVCs relating to lost or damaged cards, transfers, updates and registrations conducted during the second and third phases of the CVR were not yet ready for collection.
Garba said the commission would announce when the affected PVCs became available.
He added that after the exercise at the Registration Area level ends on October 15, distribution would continue at INEC offices in the 23 local government areas of the state.
“This will enable eligible voters who could not collect their cards at the Registration Area level to do so,” he said.
The REC urged registered voters to use the exercise to verify their names and other details on the preliminary register and report errors, omissions or objections through the prescribed channels.
He said the display of the register was being conducted in line with Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which provides for the display of the voters’ register ahead of an election.
On security, Garba said INEC had continued to take the advice of security agencies into consideration throughout the voter registration process.
“Throughout the registration of voters held recently, the commission took the advice of security agencies very seriously. This contributed to a safe process without any casualties,” he said.
He assured eligible voters that INEC would work to ensure that PVCs were distributed across the state.
On internally displaced persons, Garba said the commission was engaging security agencies to establish the number of IDPs in Sokoto and determine how they could participate in the 2027 elections.
“The commission is always talking with security agencies to ascertain the number of IDPs in the state. We are working to ensure that they vote once they are in official and recognised camps,” he said.
The REC also said INEC would release the total number of registered voters in Sokoto State at the appropriate time.
He appealed to political parties, eligible voters and other stakeholders to cooperate with electoral officials to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible exercise.
—By Animashaun Salman
