The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately publish a clear nationwide timetable for the production, distribution and collection of Permanent Voter Cards, warning that no Nigerian who has successfully registered should be disenfranchised by administrative delays.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, on Friday, the party said millions of Nigerians who participated in the voter registration exercise deserve certainty about when and where their PVCs will be available.

“You cannot register Nigerians to vote and then make them run from office to office searching for the card that enables them to exercise that right. Registration without access to a PVC is disenfranchisement by another route,” the ADC said.

The party called on INEC to immediately publish, state by state, the number of newly registered voters, PVCs produced, cards distributed, outstanding cards and designated collection centres.

According to the ADC, the Commission must also intensify public information campaigns and decentralise collection wherever practicable to ensure that distance, bureaucracy and poor communication do not become barriers to participation.

“With the general election approaching, Nigerians should not be left wondering whether their cards will arrive in time. This is not a logistical footnote. It goes to the heart of the credibility of the election itself.”

The ADC said it would mobilise its structures nationwide to monitor PVC distribution and document complaints from registered voters unable to obtain their cards.

“We do not want an election-eve scramble, excuses or emergency promises. INEC has the opportunity to resolve this matter now, transparently and comprehensively.

“Every PVC that remains unnecessarily unavailable represents a citizen whose constitutional voice is at risk of being silenced. That must not be allowed to happen.”

Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, former Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji and Fola Tinubu, Chief Executive Officer of Primero Transport Services Ltd have said it is possible to mobilise three million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the state in 2027.

The trio made the declaration during the inauguration of the Fola Tinubu (FT) Support Group for PBAT 2027 campaign office in Ikeja on Friday.

Abiodun, Yayi affirm readiness for 2027 elections at ‘mega’ APC rally
They were supported by some All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders.

Obanikoro, Director General of the President Tinubu and Gov. Obafemi Hamzat Campaign Organisation, said the inauguration was part of efforts to mobilise support ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said the campaign had set a target of securing three million votes for Tinubu in Lagos during the 2027 presidential election.

Obanikoro said the campaign would focus on unity, reconciliation and grassroots mobilisation across the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas in Lagos.

“Our target this time around is to secure three million votes for President Tinubu in Lagos during the 2027 presidential election.

“That is why we are appealing to party leaders, APC members and stakeholders to prepare for the elections and ensure they have their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

“We are back stronger together in Lagos to reconcile party members and bridge tribal differences, as we are all one and united to cast our votes for President Tinubu,” Obanikoro said.

Earlier, Ikuforiji urged APC members not to relent in their efforts to strengthen the party, urging them to prepare their PVCs and vote for the party during the elections.

He said increased voter participation would improve the party’s chances of achieving its three million vote target in Lagos.

He said the total votes cast in the recent Osun governorship election were slightly fewer than the number of registered voters in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.

He explained that only 28 per cent of registered voters participated in the last election in Lagos, in spite the state having more than six million registered voters.

“If half of the six million registered voters come out to vote for President Tinubu, Gov. Obafemi Hamzat and other APC candidates, success is ours.

“We should not have anything less than three million votes for President Tinubu from Lagos during the next general elections,” Ikuforiji said.

On his part, Fola Tinubu said the group would embark on grassroots mobilisation across the South West.

He said the group planned to organise rallies in Ogun, Ekiti and Oyo states as part of its mobilisation efforts.

“Our main target is to educate the electorate on President Tinubu’s reforms and agenda to advance the country’s economy and social infrastructure.

“Our main campaign will focus on grassroots mobilisation, leading the crusade in Lagos and across the South-West states,” he said.

Chief Sunday Udeh, President General, Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos, assured Tinubu of support from the Igbo community during the 2027 elections.

Udeh said the community had resolved to support the president’s re-election bid and vote for the APC.

“We assure the president of our votes. We, the Igbo community in Lagos, have resolved to cast our votes for APC in the next elections,” he said. (NAN)

Senator representing Anambra Central, Victor Umeh, has dismissed claims that the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, faces widespread rejection in northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 election, describing the perception as “make-believe” and “propaganda”.

Umeh, a key supporter of Obi’s presidential bid, said the former Anambra State governor had already demonstrated in the 2023 election that he could attract votes beyond the South-East and would be able to expand his support base in the North in the next election.

The senator, in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Friday, responded to concerns over Obi’s acceptance in northern Nigeria, a region widely regarded as critical to any presidential candidate seeking to secure the nationwide spread required to win the presidency.

“No, he is accepted. People are afraid of Peter Obi. That is a make-believe; it is propaganda,” Umeh said.

He pointed to Obi’s performance in the 2023 presidential election, arguing that the result showed the former Labour Party candidate was capable of winning substantial support outside his traditional stronghold.

“In 2023, he got good votes in Adamawa State; he got good votes in other parts of the North,” he said.


According to the final results of the 2023 presidential election, Obi polled 6,101,533 votes, representing 25.4 per cent of the total votes cast.

He won 11 states and the Federal Capital Territory, while also securing at least 25 per cent of the votes in 16 states and the FCT.

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Umeh said the political landscape had since changed, particularly among young Nigerians who, he argued, were increasingly questioning traditional political loyalties.

“The youths who own Nigeria and tomorrow’s Nigeria have seen that they cannot remain with the prejudices and misdirection of their leaders in the past because the things that have happened in the past have not helped them,” he said.

The senator maintained that Obi’s campaign should be judged on his proposed policies and programmes rather than ethnic or regional considerations.

The Anambra lawmaker called for an environment in which political candidates could campaign freely across the country, arguing that Nigerians should be allowed to hear competing ideas before making their choices at the polls.

“This exchange of ideas and programmes and policies we want to implement should be allowed to sell through to the voting public. Nobody should be intimidated,” he said.

His comments come days after Obi’s convoy was obstructed during a visit to Benue State, where the NDC presidential candidate had planned to visit Yelewata and commiserate with families affected by the 2025 killings.

Obi’s convoy was stopped by youths along the Makurdi-Gboko federal highway on September 8. The Benue State Government denied responsibility for the incident, while the state police command later said it had arrested 46 people allegedly linked to the obstruction.

Umeh condemned the incident, arguing that political actors should not be prevented from moving freely or seeking support in any part of the country.

He also warned that the 2027 election must not be allowed to repeat the controversies surrounding the 2023 presidential poll.

The senator called for a “more transparent, credible, free and fair electoral process,” saying Nigerians remained concerned about the integrity of elections and the circumstances surrounding the 2023 exercise.

He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reduce its reliance on ad-hoc personnel and instead develop a pool of permanent and properly trained election officials.

Umeh also called for the prosecution of electoral offenders, arguing that those who undermine the electoral process must be held accountable.

He cautioned Nigerians against placing excessive reliance on artificial intelligence in the 2027 election, insisting that INEC must first provide explanations for the challenges that affected the 2023 election.

The senator said the outcome of a genuinely free and fair 2027 election could not be predetermined, urging political parties and their supporters to allow voters to make their choices without intimidation.

“It’s not all way out,” he said, while reflecting on Obi’s performance in 2023 and the possibility of a stronger showing in 2027.

Meanwhile, Obi has repeatedly sought to counter perceptions that his political appeal is largely concentrated in the South-East.

In July 2025, while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, the former Anambra State governor urged Nigerians to prioritise competence over ethnic and religious considerations when choosing their leaders.

“We have voted for incompetence, we’ve voted for tribe, (and) we’ve voted for religion; let’s vote for competence,” Obi said.

The presidential hopeful also argued that northern Nigeria had enormous economic potential, particularly in agriculture, and said his administration would tackle insecurity and unlock the region’s productive capacity.

“I want them to trust me. The biggest asset of this country is in the north, the uncultivated lands in the north. The criminality we face in the north today, I will deal with it

“If I am president, the North will celebrate me. I have an idea of the problem,” he added.

Obi has also recently urged Nigerians to participate actively in the 2027 election and protect their votes from the polling unit through the collation process.

The emphasis on the North is politically significant because the region remains a major component of Nigeria’s electoral map. A presidential candidate seeking to win nationally must build support across geographical and political divides, making northern voters an important constituency in the 2027 contest.