Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Ayobami Salami, disclosed this on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, while briefing journalists on the commission’s preparations for the forthcoming elections.

Salami explained that PVCs were available for residents who registered between August 25 and December 10, 2025, as well as those who registered between 2011 and 2022 but had yet to collect their cards.

However, he clarified that PVCs for individuals who registered between January 5 and July 26, 2026, were not yet available. He said the commission would announce the collection arrangements for that group through its official communication channels.

The REC urged eligible voters to collect their cards promptly and keep them safe, stressing the importance of completing the necessary preparations before Election Day.

Beyond PVC distribution, INEC is strengthening measures to tackle vote-buying, illegal campaign financing and other electoral offences. Salami said the commission was working with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Nigeria Police and other relevant institutions to address electoral malpractice.

He added that engagements with political parties on financial reporting, auditing and campaign finance compliance were expected to intensify between October 28, 2026, and January 1, 2027.

Salami also appealed to political parties, candidates and their supporters to conduct their campaigns peacefully and within the provisions of the law.

The commission expressed concern about the growing circulation of misinformation, disinformation, deepfakes and AI-generated content, warning that false electoral information could undermine public confidence in the voting process.

He urged media organisations to verify information about electoral procedures, commission decisions and election results through official INEC channels. He also cautioned against presenting unofficial projections or privately compiled figures as results formally declared by authorised electoral officials.

According to the REC, INEC’s media accreditation portal was expected to become operational before the end of October, with further details to be announced through official channels. Preparations were also continuing for the recruitment, training and deployment of election personnel.

The commission plans to conduct a mock accreditation and election simulation exercise in November 2026 to assess its operational readiness ahead of the general elections.

Salami said nationwide preparations involved deploying personnel and election materials across 176,846 polling units and 8,809 registration areas, supported by more than 100,000 vehicles and approximately 4,000 boats.

He explained that sensitive election materials were expected to reach local government areas 72 hours before Election Day, while distribution to Registration Area Centres and Super Registration Area Centres was scheduled to be completed by 4 p.m. on the eve of the election.

For Lagos State, the commission is considering challenges associated with population density, heavy traffic, riverine communities, transportation, storage facilities and personnel deployment. It is also making contingency arrangements intended to ensure polling units are ready to begin operations as scheduled.

Voter education and inclusive participation are also part of the preparations. Through its VEP 2027 Election Project Plan, INEC intends to expand grassroots awareness activities, particularly among women, young people and persons with disabilities.

Planned activities include community meetings, engagements with tertiary institutions, public debates, mobile cinema programmes and collaboration with the National Orientation Agency.

The commission also outlined accessibility measures such as Braille materials, EC30 posters, magnifying glasses and sign-language interpretation at state collation centres.

In addition, INEC said it was working to improve electronic result transmission and management. Security arrangements remain a key part of the plan, with the Nigeria Police Force coordinating with other security and intelligence agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.

With preparations for the 2027 elections gathering momentum, the commission is urging eligible voters in Lagos to take advantage of the available PVC collection arrangements and rely on official channels for updates on when and where to collect their cards.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia