INEC Begins Distribution of New Voter Cards Across Bayelsa

.** The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun distributing Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for the first phase across the eight Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Bayelsa.

 

The state's Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Malam Isah Shaka, disclosed this at a news conference in his office at Swali, Yenagoa.

 

According to Shaka, the cards are meant for voters who registered, or applied to transfer their voting locations, during the first phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise held between August and December 2025.

 

"Distribution will start from Oct. 9 to Oct. 15, from 9am to 3pm daily with Saturday and Sunday inclusive at 105 wards across Bayelsa," he said.

 

 

The REC gave the number of PVCs received in each LGA as follows:

 

- Brass: 6,211

- Ekeremor: 12,023

- Nembe: 3,620

- Kolokuma/Opokuma: 3,712

- Ogbia: 3,132

- Sagbama: 10,080

- Yenagoa: 6,332

- Southern Ijaw: 7,115

 

Ekeremor received the highest number of cards, followed by Sagbama. Taken together, the figures come to 52,225 cards (total computed from the REC's figures; INEC did not give a total).

 

Shaka said voters who registered in any CVR exercise between 2011 and 2022 but had yet to collect their PVCs could do so at any INEC office in their LGAs.

 

He advised registered voters to check their names on the displayed registers and confirm their polling units before collecting their cards.

 

The REC added that voters must collect their PVCs in person at their respective collection centres, in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.