[OPINION] Wonders Shall Never End! Please Your PVC is Not for Sale, By a Concerned Citizen

As the 2027 general elections draw closer, some desperate and unpatriotic individuals may stop at nothing to advance their electoral interests, even at the expense of citizens’ democratic rights. Wonders shall never end they say! What sounds almost like fiction or movie is reportedly happening in some parts of Nigeria, particularly in the North, where some unscrupulous individuals are alleged to have devised a disturbing strategy of offering unsuspecting citizens financial inducements in exchange for their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). As part of this unusual and dubious arrangement, the gullible recipients are also given a young tree to plant, water and nurture. This development is particularly worrying because reports suggest that quite a number of people in villages and rural communities have already become involved and it is gaining momentum.

Although the identities and motives of those behind this practice remain unknown, the development is worrisome and raises serious concerns about possible attempts to undermine electoral participation ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly by exploiting the economic vulnerability, ignorance and limited electoral awareness of unsuspecting citizens in some of these rural communities.

One cannot help but wonder: why would anyone offer financial inducements in exchange for a PVC while requiring the recipient to plant, water and nurture a tree? What is the real intention behind this arrangement? Is the tree-planting exercise an innocent environmental initiative, or could it be a disguise for an ulterior motive? Equally troubling is why anyone would anyone willingly agree to surrender such an important electoral document without fully considering the illegality and possible consequences. These questions call for urgent investigation and public enlightenment. While we must avoid premature conclusions or unsubstantiated accusations, we cannot afford to ignore a development with potentially serious implications for our democracy.

Please, let us not allow poverty, economic hardship or limited awareness to make us victims of electoral manipulation. Our PVC is not an ordinary piece of plastic; it is an important instrument for exercising our democratic rights and participating in decisions about who governs us. Surrendering your PVC to anyone, let alone unidentified individuals, is a dangerous gamble that could compromise your electoral participation and expose you to further exploitation. No one acquires another person’s voting rights merely by possessing that person’s PVC.

I therefore appeal to our people, particularly those in villages and rural communities, to remain vigilant and never surrender their PVCs in exchange for money, gifts, promises or any seemingly attractive inducement. The three tiers of government, political parties, traditional rulers, religious leaders, community associations, civil society organisations and well meaning people should urgently educate their members and communities about the potential dangers of this practice. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and relevant law-enforcement agencies should investigate these matters, establish the facts, identify anyone involved in unlawful conduct and take appropriate action against them in accordance with the extant law.

Those who may have already surrendered their PVCs should promptly report to the appropriate authorities to protect their electoral rights.

Let me emphasise that planting and nurturing trees is a commendable environmental activity that should be encouraged. However, it must never become a pretext for compromising citizens’ electoral rights. We must look beyond the immediate financial benefit and consider the potentially far-reaching consequences for individual voters, our communities and the credibility of the 2027 general elections.

Please know that your PVC is your voice, your choice and your stake in Nigeria’s future. Please, do not exchange it for a temporary financial benefit being offered by these bad people. No amount of money should be allowed to deprive you of the opportunity to exercise your democratic rights freely and responsibly during elections.

Let us remain vigilant, enlighten one another and protect the integrity of our elections. The future of our democracy is a collective responsibility.