The start of the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection exercise in parts of Nigeria’s South-East on Friday is met with frustration in Abia State, where eligible voters in Umuahia say INEC officials leave some designated collection centres early or fail to appear at all. Several voters report being unable to collect their PVCs on the first day despite arriving before the close of the exercise at sites such as Ugba Primary School.

Reports also describe low turnout in Ebonyi State, alongside calls from local officials for voters to verify details on the electoral register. Across outlets, the main focus is on difficulties experienced by voters at collection points—whether due to staff absence or unexplained departures—during the initial phase of the nationwide PVC distribution.