According to reports received from several parts of the state, women in both urban and rural communities have alleged that individuals said to be members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, have been visiting homes, requesting their voter cards and giving them ₦1,000 cash.
Some of the women also alleged that they were given forms to fill with a promise that they would receive financial assistance or other palliatives if they surrender their voter cards.
The sources who provided the information alleged that the intention behind the collection of the PVCs is to use them for election manipulation, including alleged plans to use the cards to verify and vote by proxy during elections.
Those making the allegations further claimed that the move is driven by fear within the ruling party over what they described as dwindling popularity of the party across many parts of Zamfara State.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from the leadership of the APC in Zamfara State regarding the allegations. Efforts to get their reaction were still ongoing.
Meanwhile, concerned residents and community observers have called on women and the general public in Zamfara not to release their voter cards to any individual, group or political party under any guise.
They warned that surrendering PVCs to another person could lead to disenfranchisement and could be used to deny the rightful owners the opportunity to vote for candidates of their choice during elections.
"We are calling on mothers and the entire people of Zamfara, both in the cities and villages, not to give their voter cards to anyone or any group," a community leader who spoke on condition of anonymity said. "They should not fall for the deception of people who have been in power for years without helping them."
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has repeatedly warned that it is illegal for any person to be in possession of another person's PVC, and that voter cards are not transferable and should not be used as collateral for loans, empowerment programmes or any form of assistance.
INEC has also maintained that only the rightful owner of a PVC can use it to vote on election day, and that any attempt to use another person's card constitutes electoral fraud punishable under the Electoral Act.
Observers in the state have urged women, who are often targeted during such exercises because of their numerical strength and vulnerability, to keep their voter cards safe and to ensure they come out on election day to vote according to their conscience.
They particularly advised residents to vote for parties and candidates who they believe will deliver justice, development and good governance, stressing that the 2027 elections will be critical for the future of the state.
They also called on security agencies, INEC, civil society organizations and traditional leaders to intensify voter education, especially in rural communities, to sensitize women on the importance of their voter cards and the dangers of surrendering them to politicians.
"They should keep their voter cards safely and on election day they should come out and vote for parties that will do justice to them," one of the sources said, adding that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has credible candidates across the state who can address their challenges.
As the political atmosphere gradually heats up ahead of the 2027 general elections, stakeholders have stressed the need for all political parties to play by the rules and avoid actions that could undermine the credibility of the electoral process in Zamfara State.
They emphasized that vote-buying, intimidation and illegal collection of PVCs remain major threats to free and fair elections and must be collectively rejected by the people of the state.
