INEC Announces Voting Plan For Plateau IDPs

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that displaced residents in nine local government areas of Plateau State will be allowed to vote in the 2027 general elections.

The commission said it was working on arrangements to ensure that residents forced out of their communities by insecurity and communal clashes are not left out of the elections.

Naija News reports that Plateau State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Oliver Agundu, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting in Jos.

Agundu said INEC would provide designated voting centres in areas where the internally displaced persons, IDPs, are currently staying.

The affected local government areas are Bassa, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, Jos East, Jos North, Jos South, Mangu, Riyom and Wase.

According to him, the commission had started discussions with relevant stakeholders as part of plans to make voting possible for displaced residents in the affected areas.

The REC stressed that displacement should not stop any eligible Nigerian from exercising the right to vote.

“We are planning for IDPs in the affected local government areas to vote in designated centres during the 2027 general elections.

“No eligible voter should be denied the opportunity to exercise his or her civic responsibility because of displacement,” Agundu noted.

He also advised IDPs to keep their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), safe and take part in voter registration and other update exercises whenever INEC opens the process.

He said the arrangement was part of efforts by the commission to make the 2027 elections more inclusive and ensure that insecurity does not prevent eligible citizens from taking part in the democratic process.