The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised the alarm over plans to clone Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) ahead of the 2019 general elections.

A statement by Oluwole Osaze Uzzi, Director, Voter Education and Publicity on Monday, warned those behind the alleged cloning of permanent Voters Card that they are wasting their time as the commission has taken security measures to further secure the PVCs.

The director disclosed that the commission also introduced Smart Card Readers in order to protect them from unauthorized and malicious access.

Uzzi assured that the Commission had anticipated these and proactively taken measures to preserve and further secure our electoral materials.

"The INEC systems are robust, while also assuring that the commission will continue to fortify them ahead of the 2019 general elections.

"Several security features and secret source codes are contained in the Smart Card Readers which enable them to read only PVCs duly issued by the Commission. The advertisement shows photographs of blank cards which have not been personalised and which do not contain any details.

“The Commission wishes to state that it takes these reports seriously and will engage the government and security agencies as well as the promoters of the platform in order to get to the root of it and take all necessary action to take down the advertisement forthwith," he said.

Uzzi said in addition to the existing features, the Commission is already working to further secure the PVCs and the Smart Card Readers and will continue to protect them from unauthorized and malicious access.
He said that the enhancement had already been successfully done in Ekiti and Osun, preparatory to the upcoming Governorship elections in both States.
He, however, added that the commission will commence the systematic hardware and software upgrade of all the Smart Card Readers nationwide.