2027: ADC Campaign Council Urges Nigerians To Collect PVCs, Warns Against Election Manipulation

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has urged eligible Nigerians to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) begins its nationwide collection exercise, calling on citizens to participate actively in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general election.

The council also assured Nigerians that their votes would count in the forthcoming election, warning against any attempt by individuals or political parties to manipulate the process or undermine the will of the electorate.

The ADC-PCC made the appeal in a statement issued on Friday by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, who described the collection of PVCs as a critical step towards enabling eligible citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote.

According to the council, Nigerians should not allow concerns about possible electoral malpractice or claims that election results would be predetermined to discourage them from participating in the democratic process.

It dismissed suggestions that votes would not count and that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would simply write results in favour of its candidates, describing such claims as misleading and capable of discouraging voter participation.

“Go and collect your PVC. Your voter's card is your power and your guarantee that you will vote on January 16, 2027,” Ologbondiyan said.

He maintained that the prospect of electoral manipulation should not deter eligible Nigerians from collecting their cards and preparing to vote, insisting that no political party should be allowed to subvert the electoral process.

The ADC-PCC alleged that narratives portraying elections as predetermined were being promoted by individuals sympathetic to the APC to create fear among voters and encourage apathy.

Ologbondiyan further claimed that the ruling party was concerned about the possibility of electoral rejection following what he described as the economic hardship, hunger and insecurity Nigerians had experienced under the current administration.

“The APC knows it cannot win a free, fair and credible election after plunging Nigerians into hunger, hardship and insecurity. That is why it wants Nigerians to believe that results will be written. It is a lie. The era of writing results in hotel rooms is gone forever,” he stated.

The allegations represent the opposition campaign council's position on the political climate ahead of the 2027 election. The statement did not provide independent evidence establishing that the APC was responsible for promoting the alleged narrative.

The council argued that Nigeria's electoral framework and the deployment of technology had strengthened safeguards against manipulation, pointing specifically to the Electoral Act, as amended, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC's Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

BVAS is used for voter accreditation and other electoral functions, while IReV provides a platform for viewing uploaded polling-unit result sheets. However, the effectiveness of these mechanisms in safeguarding elections also depends on proper implementation, compliance with electoral regulations and the ability of relevant institutions to address reported irregularities.

“Every polling unit will be protected. Every vote will be counted, and every vote will count. Nigerians are more determined than ever to take back their country through the ballot,” Ologbondiyan added.

The ADC-PCC called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth organisations, women's groups and civil society organisations to mobilise eligible Nigerians to collect their PVCs and encourage participation in the 2027 general election.

It urged citizens to disregard messages suggesting that their participation would be futile, maintaining that active voter involvement remained essential to determining the country's political leadership through the ballot.

“We urge all Nigerians not to be deterred. Go and collect your PVC today and keep it safe. In 2027, you will vote, and your vote will count. No one can stop the will of the people,” Ologbondiyan said.

The council also disclosed that the ADC, under its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, planned to deploy polling agents to every polling unit across the country to monitor voting, observe the handling of results and challenge any suspected attempt to undermine the electorate's mandate.

According to the council, the proposed nationwide deployment would form part of its preparations to protect votes and promote transparency throughout the electoral process.

The planned arrangement would require the party to organise, train and deploy sufficient agents across the country's polling units, while ensuring that they understand the applicable electoral rules and procedures for documenting and reporting alleged irregularities.

The ADC-PCC's appeal comes as political parties and electoral stakeholders begin preparations for the 2027 general election, with voter participation, public confidence in INEC and the credibility of election results expected to remain central issues in the political debate.

Beyond collecting PVCs, eligible citizens will need to remain informed about INEC's registration, collection and voter-verification procedures, while political parties, electoral officials, security agencies and civil society groups will have responsibilities in ensuring that the election is conducted peacefully and transparently.

For the ADC-PCC, the immediate priority is to persuade Nigerians who are eligible to vote to obtain their cards rather than allow distrust of the electoral system to keep them away from the polls.

The council maintained that the credibility of the 2027 election would depend not only on the rules and technology available to electoral authorities but also on citizens' willingness to participate and the commitment of all political actors to respect the outcome of a properly conducted election.