By Funmilola Afolabi
‘I did not vote because I don’t have the PVC, and getting it is stressful. I don’t think I will end up voting in this country.’
A 22-year-old lady, Ms. Seyi Anu, said this when she was asked why she did not vote in the November 16, 2024, governorship election in Ondo State.
According to her, getting the National Identification Number (NIN) was stressful, and she does not intend to go through the same process to get a Permanent voter card (PVC), which is a prerequisite for voting in Nigeria.
‘I think I’ll never own a voter’s card in Nigeria. To be honest, I do not see the point because most of the people in my house have their PVCs, but they don’t vote. It is even better that you do not have it because what’s the point of having the card and not voting? Maybe if it’s necessary for other purposes, I’ll get it, but for voting alone, I don’t think so.’
Is Ms. Anu alone in this?
The Ondo state election
The Ondo state election has continued to record a trend of low voter turnout and increased voter apathy in recent years. Data shows that only 39 percent of eligible voters in Ondo state participated in the 2012 governorship election, dropping to 35 percent in 2016, 33 percent in 2020, and further to 24.8 percent in 2024.
More than 1.7 million registered voters were expected to cast their ballots in the Ondo state governorship election, but only 508,963 votes were cast. Of the 508,963 votes cast, 497,077 votes were valid while 11,886 votes were rejected.
While the low voter turnout has been linked to various reasons, voter fatigue has been identified as a major factor for voter apathy.
For an audio engineer, Mr Kehinde Akinbo, though he applied for a voter’s card, he did not collect it or participate in the state election attributing it to the stress and time associated with applying for and collecting the card.
‘I think the experience of people, the stress, and most of the time when you have to collect it, there is always a queue that could go on for hours. I can’t wait that long because of my job, so I don’t care about going to collect the PVC.’ he added.
Mr. Akinbo, however, canvassed for a card that could serve the dual function of a national identity card and a voter card, calling on concerned authorities to think in that light.
According to him, ‘We should have one card. I think we can achieve that in the age of technology. Our bank accounts are linked with our NIN; we can make use of it to cast our votes. It’s a global thing. INEC should look for ways to do this. As long as you have a NIN, just input the digits, and you can cast your votes anywhere. I think we should go for that one card that will cover every means of our day-to-day activities.
Experts’ Opinion
The Executive Director, Electoral College of Nigeria, Kunle Lawal, said having a multipurpose card that serves as both a voter card and a national identity card unifies the nation’s database and reduces voter apathy.
He opined that integrating the cards simplifies the voter registration process, ensures that eligible citizens are automatically included, and addresses accessibility issues that discourage participation.
Mr. Lawal said to achieve this, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) must integrate their systems with legislative backing to protect privacy.
‘I support the idea of a multi-purpose card serving as both a voter’s card and a national identity card to unify databases and reduce voter apathy. Public sensitisation is, however, crucial to building trust, alongside investments in secure technology. This reform simplifies processes, builds efficiency, and fosters greater trust in governance,’ he added.
According to him, a unified database strengthens governance, aids in national planning, and enhances security.
NIMC
Meanwhile, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) says it will soon launch a new multipurpose national identity card for Nigerians.
NIMC’s head of card management services, Dr. Peter Iwegbu, who disclosed this during a two-day roundtable for journalists in Lagos, said the new national identity card would serve the purpose of identity verification, payments, and even government services.
He said it supports government intervention programs and services across various ministries, departments, and agencies.
While the commission is yet to speak on the possibility of linking the new national identity card with the voter card, Nigerians such as Ms. Anu and Mr. Akinbo said they would be interested in having the new card if it also enables them to vote with it rather than queuing for another card every voting season.
