Opposition parties demand INEC publicly disclose uncollected voter cards, warn against electoral malpractice in South-West state

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord Party have jointly accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of making attempts to obtain unclaimed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Osun State ahead of the 15 August governorship election. The allegation was made on Saturday in Osogbo by PDP Chairman Sunday Bisi and Accord Party Chairman Pastor Victor Akande, who called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resist any pressure to release the cards outside the approved legal process.

According to a joint statement signed by both party leaders, the opposition parties claimed they received credible information that the APC was pressuring INEC officials to hand over thousands of uncollected PVCs for alleged use by individuals described as “imported illegal voters”. The parties insisted that all distribution of voter cards must strictly follow provisions in Nigeria’s Electoral Act to prevent irregularities.

The controversy comes at a time when political tension is rising in Osun, South-West Nigeria, as parties prepare for a closely watched poll. Both PDP and Accord referenced concerns from the recent Ekiti governorship election, alleging that unclaimed PVCs were misused during that exercise. They stated their intention to monitor INEC’s handling of PVCs closely in Osun and warned that any deviation could undermine public trust in the electoral process.

“We task the commission not to succumb to such illegal conduct, as distribution of PVCs has a template which should be observed to the letter,” Bisi and Akande said. They further called on INEC to publicly announce the number of uncollected PVCs once collection resumes and pledged to independently verify any figures provided. According to them, transparent accounting is essential for maintaining confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.

As at press time, neither INEC nor APC had issued an official response to these allegations. However, APC previously dismissed other claims by Accord Party—including accusations about planned violence—as false and politically motivated. The issue of unclaimed PVCs remains a sensitive one nationally, with stakeholders warning that improper handling could violate electoral laws and impact election outcomes.

Source: https://www.pulse.ng/story/osun-pdp-accord-allege-apc-unclaimed-pvcs-inec-2026062212182907124