Abuja, Nigeria. 18th October 2022 – A new public opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls revealed that the majority of adult Nigerians (80 percent) disclosed that they have collected their permanent voter’s card ahead of the 2023 general elections. On the contrary, 17 percent of adult Nigerians stated that they have not collected their permanent voter’s card. More so, 3 percent of respondents stated that they have applied for transfer of their PVC to a different location.
Furthermore, findings reveal that an overwhelming proportion (93 percent) of adult Nigerians nationwide indicated that they are registered to vote in the 2023 upcoming general elections. This is cheering news as it showcases the readiness of Nigerians to vote in the upcoming general elections. However, 7 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide stated that they are not registered to vote in the 2023 general elections.
Additionally, the poll results further reveal that 55 percent of adult Nigerians interviewed nationwide stated that they collected their PVC before the 2015 general elections. This assertion cuts across gender, geographical location, and age group. Also, the poll findings further reveal that 22 percent of adult Nigerians collected their PVC before the 2019 general elections. Interestingly, a greater proportion of females (25 percent) than males (20 percent) collected their PVC before the 2019 general elections. However, 16 percent of adult Nigerians interviewed stated that they had collected their PVC after May 2021 (new registrants). Analysis across gender show that a greater proportion of females (19 percent) collected their PVC than males (14 percent).
Nonetheless, respondents who applied for transfer or have temporary voter’s cards were asked if they know where to collect their PVC when it is ready, and the poll findings show that 66 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide stated that they know where to collect their PVC when it is ready. Alternatively, 34 percent of respondents stated that they do not know where to collect their PVC when it is ready.
Respondents were further asked how they would like to be notified by INEC when their PVC is ready for collection and findings reveal that majority of adult Nigerians nationwide (60 percent) stated that they would like to be notified through SMS. 24 percent of respondents stated that they prefer phone calls as a means of notification with a greater proportion of males (25 percent) than females (23 percent) attesting to this. On the other hand, 3 percent of the respondents prefer WhatsApp over other modes of communication.
These are some of the key findings from the countdown to the 2023 general election polls conducted on the week commencing 19th September 2022. This is the third in the series of monthly election polls conducted by NOIPolls as Nigerians count down to the actual elections in 2023.
Survey Background
The election is a process where the populace is allowed to choose their leaders at various levels from the federal to the state and the local governments in a democratic dispensation. It is a sure path through which the leadership recruitment process takes place in each country and it is indeed the beauty of democracy allowing its citizens to choose the people that will represent them at various levels. Nigerians will be going to the election booths in early 2023. This is the 7th consecutive election that will be conducted in the country without interruption. With over 10 million new registrants in the election being mostly youths, it makes the forthcoming election an interesting one[1].
However, the country still faces election challenges, including insecurity within the country, INEC preparedness, money politics, and election rigging amongst other issues. It remains to be seen if these issues will be addressed before the election or if they will form a stumbling block to the future election’s success.
Against this background, NOIPolls conducted its Election Series poll to seek the views of Nigerians on voter registration ahead of the 2023 general elections. This is the third in the series of monthly election polls conducted by NOIPolls (the first one was conducted in July 2023) as Nigerians countdown to the 2023 general elections.
Survey Findings
The first question sought to gain insight into the proportion of adult Nigerians nationwide that have registered for the forthcoming general elections in 2023. The question was therefore asked of respondents that are registered to vote in the 2023 general elections and it is heart-warming to note that majority of adult Nigerians nationwide (93 percent) stated that they are registered to vote in the upcoming general elections. On the flip side, 7 percent of adult Nigerians stated that they are not registered to vote in the general elections.
Furthermore, respondents who claim to have registered to vote in the election were further probed to ascertain when they registered for the election. The findings revealed that 55 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide registered before the 2015 general election. Additionally, 22 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide stated that they registered before the 2019 general elections. Also, 16 percent of respondents stated that they registered after May 2021 (registrants). However, 7 percent of respondents stated that they cannot recall when they registered.
Additionally, respondents who registered were further asked if they have collected their permanent voter’s card ahead of the elections. The poll results reveal that a huge proportion of adult Nigerians (80 percent) stated that they have collected their permanent voter’s card.
More so, the poll results further reveal that 17 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide stated that they have a temporary voter’s card. Another 3 percent of respondents stated that they collected their PVC but applied for a transfer to a different location.
Consequently, respondents who applied for transfer were further asked if they have collected their new PVC. The poll result showed that the majority of adult Nigerians nationwide (78 percent) who applied for transfer have not collected their permanent voter’s card. This assertion cuts across gender, age group, and geopolitical zones.
Also, 22 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide claimed that they have collected their permanent voter’s card after applying for a transfer.
The poll sought to know if Nigerians who applied for a transfer and have temporary voter’s cards know where to collect their PVC. Nigerians were asked: do you know where to collect your PVC when it is ready for collection? The poll results indicate that 66 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide stated that they know where to collect their PVC when it is ready. This assertion cuts across gender, geopolitical zones, and age-group with at least 51 percent representation.
On the contrary, 34 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide do not know where to collect their PVC when it is ready. This suggests that more awareness and sensitization need to be created nationwide to ensure that those in this category collect their PVCs in time.
The respondents who stated that they have not collected their PVC were further probed regarding how they wished to be notified when their PVC is ready. The poll results reveal that 60 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide would like to be notified through SMS. A larger proportion of females (62 percent) than males (56 percent) prefer this mode of notification. The poll results further revealed that 24 percent of respondents would prefer to be notified via phone calls. Additionally, 2 percent stated that they will prefer notification via WhatsApp, etc.
Respondents who collected their PVC were further asked how long it took them to get their PVC. Interestingly, the results indicate that 45 percent of the respondents cannot recall how long it took them to get their PVC. This assertion cuts across gender, geopolitical zones, and age groups. Also, 21 percent of the respondents stated that it took them 2-3 months to get their PVC. While 12 percent of respondents took 4-6 months, 5 percent stated that it took them 7-9 months before collecting their PVC.
To gain insight into respondents’ participation in the 2019 general election, respondents were asked if they voted in the 2019 elections and the poll findings show that the majority of adult Nigerians nationwide (82 percent) claimed to have voted in the 2019 general elections.
Furthermore, 18 percent of respondents stated that they did not participate in the 2019 general election. Also, there are more females (20 percent) than males (15 percent) who did not cast their votes in the 2019 general elections.
Surprisingly, of the 80 percent who claimed to have voted in the 2019 general elections, 45 percent of the respondents who disclosed that they registered after May 2021 supposed claimed to have voted in the 2019 general election. Further probe disclosed that they lost or misplaced their PVCs after the 2019 general election, hence they decided to register as new registrants in 2021. This simply implies that these categories of adult Nigerians registered twice hence the double registration reported by INEC.
Conclusion
The poll findings indicate that a huge proportion of adult Nigerians, 80 percent, collected their permanent voter’s card whereas 17 percent have temporary voters’ cards and 3 percent stated have applied for a transfer. This is indeed heart-warming but there is a need to ensure that all that have applied for a transfer, new registrants, and electorates with their temporary cards all get their permanent voter’s card ahead of the upcoming general elections to enable them to perform their civic duties. Also, the poll result shows that 66 percent of adult Nigerians know where to collect their PVC whereas 34 percent of respondents stated that they do not know where to collect their voter’s card when it is ready.
This poll finding serves as a call to INEC, the regulatory body to carry out awareness about where Nigerians can get their permanent voter’s card. Relevant stakeholders can partner with INEC to sensitize the populace about the locations of their voter’s cards. The deployment of technology in this regard can be of immense help as one can locate his or her card seamlessly.
Finally, 60 percent of adult Nigerians stated that they would prefer to be notified through SMS when their card is ready. This finding is useful to the regulatory body to ensure effective dissemination and distribution of the permanent voters’ cards.
Survey Methods
The opinion poll was conducted in the week commencing 19th September 2022. It involved telephone interviews of a proportionate nationwide sample of 1,000 randomly selected phone-owning Nigerians aged 18 years and above, representing the six geopolitical regions and 36 states, and the FCT of the country. Interviews were conducted in 5 languages – Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Pidgin English, and English. Although we can say with 95% confidence that the results obtained were statistically precise – within a margin of error of plus or minus 4.65%; we recognize that the exclusive use of telephone polling has its limitation of excluding non-phone-owning Nigerians. Nonetheless, with the country’s tele density put over 100 percent by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), we consider our telephone polling approach appropriate. Also, given the rigorous scientific process of randomization and stratification applied, we can confidently stand by the validity of our methodology and approach.
NOIPolls Limited, No1 for country-specific polling services in West Africa. We conduct periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria. More information is available at www.noi-polls.com.
Disclaimer
This press release has been produced by NOIPolls Limited to provide information on all issues which form the subject matter of the document. Kindly note that while we are willing to share results from our polls with the public, we only request that NOIPolls be acknowledged as authors whenever and wherever our poll results are used, cited, or published. NOIPolls hereby certifies that all the views expressed in this document accurately reflect the views of respondents surveyed for the poll, and background information is based on information from various sources that it believes are reliable; however, no representation is made that it is accurate or complete. Whilst reasonable care has been taken in preparing this document, no responsibility or liability is accepted for errors or facts, or any views expressed herein by NOIPolls for actions taken because of information provided in this report. Any ratings, forecasts, estimates, opinions, or views herein constitute a judgment as of the date of this document. If the date of this document is not current, the views and content may not reflect NOIPolls’ current findings and/or thinking.
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[1] https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/556316-key-issues-that-will-shape-nigerias-2023-elections-report.html
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