The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced plans to phase out the Permanent Voter Cards, PVC.

INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, made this known at a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners RECs, held at the INEC Conference Room, Abuja on Thursday.

This was part of the identified 142 recommendations released by the Commission which deals with the general state of preparedness, voter management, voter education and public communication, political parties and candidate management.

Other areas of recommendation include electoral operations and logistics management, election officials and personnel, partnership and collaboration, monitoring and supervision, election technology, voting and result management, election security, electoral offences and the electoral legal framework.

The Chairman said there are eight recommendations among the 142 which require legislative action by the National Assembly.

“The Commission also believes that with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, the use of the Permanent Voters’ Cards, PVC, as the sole means of identification for voter accreditation on Election Day should be reviewed.

He, however, said that those who already have the Permanent Voter Cards can still use them to vote.

He added, “But going forward, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or even downloaded from the Commission’s website will suffice for voter accreditation. ”

Yakubu said this new development will save costs and further eliminate the issues around the collection of Permanent Voter Cards.

He also said the practice of buying up the Permanent Voter Cards from voters to disenfranchise them, would be reduced.

President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to present the 2025 proposed budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.

The announcement was made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a plenary session, revealing that the President has sent a communication to that effect.

“The president has made his intention known to the National Assembly to present the 2025m budget to the joint session of the National Assembly on the 17th of December, 2024,” he said.

The proposed budget, totalling N47.9 trillion, was earlier announced by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu.

inDrive, a global mobility and urban services platform, has emerged the most outstanding brand in urban service in Nigeria at the maiden edition of Iconic Brands and Legends of Media and Marketing Communications Award held in Lagos on Tuesday, December 10, 2024.

inDrive was recognized and celebrated for its transparency, fairness, and affordability in intercity travel and logistics among ride-hailing platforms in Nigeria.

Speaking on the award, Timothy Oladimeji, Country Representative, Nigeria, inDrive, described it as a testament to the ride-hailing platform’s unique contribution and commitment to providing fair and accessible transportation options to its customers.

Oladimeji stated that the award highlights the company’s focus on safety, fairness, affordability, and satisfaction, thereby cementing its reputation as the go-to ride-hailing service in Nigeria.

He noted that the achievement underscores the company’s dedication to delivering the best ride-hailing and logistic experience for customers while continually pushing the envelope for innovation. He explained that the mobility platform remains a game-changer in the ride-hailing business in Nigeria as it empowers both drivers and passengers through its negotiation model.

“This recognition is a huge motivation that would help us expand our footprint and continue to provide exceptional services to all our customers. I can categorically say that the recognition validates the acceptability and rapid adoption of our platform by both drivers and passengers in Nigeria,” he said.

Speaking on the recognition and criteria, the lead convener of the award, Samuel Ajayi, said the award was truly deserving, given that the platform has provided unique, fair, and affordable services to all its users.

Ajayi emphasised the significance of acknowledging the brand’s achievements in Nigeria over the last few years adding that the company has shown exceptional performance by all parameters and standards.

“inDrive has really thrown its weight since joining other ride-hailing platforms in Nigeria. I am happy to say that inDrive has disrupted the Nigerian market with its unique offerings, which has endeared many users to the platform. From our findings, I can say that the brand remains the preferred platform given that it is the only one that provides safe, fair, efficient, and affordable transportation,” he said.

Since launching in Nigeria, inDrive has cemented its status as a market leader through its commitment to enhancing urban mobility and consistently delivering superior customer service.