2023: IVED not “card reader” to be used, 2011 PVC still valid – INEC



The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has declared that the commission would use INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED) and not “new card reader” for the 2023 general election.

In a statement, Saturday, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Lawrence Oyekanmi, stated that the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) issued by the commission in 2011 and after is still valid for voting in elections.

“It is not true that the commission will use the so called “New Card Reader” for the 2023 General Election. What the Commission intends to use is a multi-purpose gadget , known as the INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED)” , it said.

INEC added, “It is currently being used for the physical  registration of voters. During an election, it will facilitate the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which provides for both fingerprint and facial authentication.”  

“The device will also be used to upload individual polling unit election results to the INEC Result Viewing portal (IReV) in real time on election day”.

INEC stressed in the statement that “the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) issued by INEC in 2011 and after can be still be used by their respective owners to vote in all elections, including the upcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area council elections, the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, as well as the 2023 General Election.

The commission emphasized, “to be sure, PVCs issued in 2011 and after do not need any revalidation”, adding, ” there is no need to revalidate any PVC issued by INEC for election purposes.”

“The general public should therefore disregard the fake news making the rounds that the PVCs issued in 2011 need revalidation. There is no need to revalidate any PVC issued by INEC for election purposes.”