FACT CHECK: Do PVCs Expire Like Tinubu Said? 

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the current Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have expired.

Gatekeepers News reports that Tinubu said this while addressing the women leaders of the party who paid him a visit in Abuja.

Tinubu asked voters to obtain new PVCs.

Tinubu said, “In case they do not announce to you on time, the PVC you have has expired.

“Take one family member, two family members, knock on all doors and make sure that the new registration… Because they may not announce to you on time. The PVCs you have has expired. Yes!

“You need to spread it to various local government and wards at each levels. No matter how difficult it is. To me, I look at it closely and you look at other elections being held, you will see that it’s diminishing because those cards (is) expired. It’s mandatory that you go and register to vote and achieve your aspirations. May God bless you and bless Nigeria.”

Is Tinubu’s claim that PVCs expires true?

Checks by Gatekeepers News showed that a PVC does not carry an expiry date.

In the message displayed on the INEC website, the chairman of the commission, Mahmood Yakubu, said registered voters could renew their PVCs in the Continuous Voter’s Registration(CVR) exercise if their cards were missing or defaced.

The message showed clearly that the card can not expire but can only be renewed if lost or defaced.

Registration for another PVC is double registration and it’s liable to a jail term of one year.

Section 117 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) criminalises registering more than once and spells out a fine not exceeding N100,000 or imprisonment for one year or both.

Tinubu’s claim that the current PVCs have expired is thereby misleading and incorrect.