The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on traditional rulers in Rivers State to mobilise eligible voters for the 2027 General Election, particularly by encouraging them to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the palace of Eze Epara Rebisi XII, Eze (Barr.) U. Isaiah Elikwu, in Port Harcourt.
The visit was part of the Commission’s operational readiness assessment and stakeholder engagement in the South-South geopolitical zone ahead of the 2027 elections.
Amupitan urged the traditional ruler and his Council of Chiefs to promote voter participation, peaceful elections and public confidence in the electoral process.
He said INEC was strengthening its operational capacity, citing the successful conduct of off-cycle governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States, FCT Area Council elections and 16 by-elections during his tenure.
On electoral technology, the INEC Chairman disclosed that the Commission was working to improve the efficiency of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), including plans to reduce the voter threshold for its deployment at polling units.
He also urged eligible voters to take advantage of the ongoing display of the voters’ register to identify and correct errors before the final register is produced.
The INEC Chairman warned against misinformation and disinformation, particularly through social media and artificial intelligence, urging traditional rulers to encourage their subjects to verify information before sharing it.
On security, he reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to working with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to protect voters, electoral officials and other personnel, particularly in difficult and riverine communities.
Responding, Eze Epara Rebisi XII, Eze Isaiah Elikwu, welcomed the INEC delegation and pledged the support of the traditional institution in mobilising residents to collect their PVCs and participate in the elections.
He urged the Commission to remain firm, fair and impartial in discharging its responsibilities, while expressing confidence in its ability to conduct credible elections.
The traditional ruler also pledged to collaborate with other traditional rulers to promote voter education, peaceful participation and public confidence in the electoral process.
