Claim: Printouts of voter information can be used to vote on election day.
Verdict: FALSE. Our findings and INEC voting procedure show only the permanent Voters Card will be used for accreditation and voting.
Full Text
On Friday, February 24, 2023, a viral WhatsApp message with the assertion that everyone must vote, whether they have their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) or not, was drawn to our attention.
The message directs that people who registered but were unable to get their PVC should follow a link and print out their details which can be presented on election day for voting.
The link, which is that of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Voter Verification Service, is meant for finding voters’ information. This information consists of the Voter’s Identification Number (VIN), State, Local Government Area (LGA), Registration Area (Ward), and Polling Unit Code.
The message has sparked hope in those who registered but could not get their card. Many such people sent this message to DUBAWA requesting confirmation.
The virality of the message, its significance to voters’ decisions and the likelihood of confusing PUs on election day prompted us to verify the claim.
Verification
To verify this, we searched INEC’s Twitter page and website for helpful information on voting and what is needed to vote. We have also done a similar fact-check on the possibility of voting without the PVC and found it false and impossible.
What you need to vote on election day
INEC has repeatedly said, ‘No PVC, no voting.’ In this tweet, INEC wrote, “with your PVC, you have the power to make a difference.” So all you need to vote on election day is your PVC.
How to vote on election day
INEC has shared the procedure on election day and a step-by-step breakdown of the voting process. In this breakdown, only the PVC is presented for accreditation before voting.
To vote on election day, you must first appear in person at your PU by 8:00 am with your PVC and wait for voting, starting at 8:30 am.
Below is a seven-step breakdown of the voting procedure by INEC.
- Voting starts at 8:30 am.
- Present your PVC for accreditation using BVAS.
- Check to be sure your name is on the voter register of voters at the PU.
- Get authenticated with the BVAS through fingerprint or facial recognition.
Conclusion
Our findings and INEC voting procedure show only the permanent Voters Card will be used for accreditation and voting.
