Follow Us on Google
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deleted more than 1.27 million invalid voter registration records from the National Register of Voters ahead of the 2027 general elections, following a technology-driven verification exercise that uncovered approximately 1.5 million questionable entries in the electoral database.
The massive clean-up, which forms part of efforts to sanitise the register and strengthen public confidence in the electoral process, came as the United Nations (UN) warned that violence or instability during Nigeria’s 2027 elections could have far-reaching consequences for peace, democracy and political stability across the West African sub-region.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, who disclosed the development during separate engagements with the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão, and the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pete Vowles, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, said the exercise was necessary to eliminate irregularities capable of undermining the credibility of the elections.
Amupitan explained that the Commission had deployed technology to undertake a comprehensive verification of voter registration records, leading to the identification of approximately 1.5 million questionable entries, out of which more than 1.27 million had been confirmed invalid and removed from the database.
He said the exercise underscored INEC’s determination to ensure that the National Register of Voters reflected only valid registrations, stressing that the integrity of the register remained fundamental to the conduct of free, fair, credible and transparent elections.
According to him, the Commission would continue to strengthen its technological and administrative systems to detect and eliminate registration irregularities, while ensuring that eligible Nigerians were not denied the opportunity to exercise their franchise.
The INEC chairman disclosed that the National Register of Voters currently contained more than 103 million records, with young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 34 accounting for nearly 29 per cent of the electorate.
He said the Commission was undertaking a comprehensive review of the register through the statutory claims and objections process, ahead of the scheduled publication of the final register on December 15, 2026.
Amupitan maintained that the ongoing verification exercise was not merely an administrative undertaking but a critical component of preparations for the 2027 elections, as the credibility of the voters’ register would significantly influence public confidence in the entire electoral process.
He assured Nigerians that INEC would continue to deploy appropriate technology, improve its procedures and encourage public participation in the verification process to ensure that identified irregularities were addressed before the elections.
The chairman also disclosed that the Commission had completed nine of the 14 activities outlined in its revised electoral timetable, while operational readiness assessments were ongoing across the six geopolitical zones to identify and address potential challenges ahead of the polls.
He said preparations were being intensified in critical areas, including election logistics, deployment of personnel and materials, technological infrastructure, security coordination and results management, to prevent operational shortcomings that could compromise the conduct of the elections.
Amupitan highlighted what he described as improvements recorded in recent off-cycle governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states, the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections and 16 legislative by-elections across the country.
According to him, the Commission had made progress in the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), timely uploading of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, intelligence-driven security collaboration, election logistics and more efficient management of results.
He said lessons drawn from the elections were being incorporated into preparations for the 2027 general elections, particularly in addressing operational weaknesses, strengthening institutional capacity and improving the transparency of electoral procedures.
Other News
Amupitan reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to conducting free, fair, credible and inclusive elections, assuring Nigerians and international partners that INEC would continue to strengthen its systems and engage relevant stakeholders to deliver an electoral process that would command public confidence.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has warned against electoral violence and political instability during the 2027 general elections, stressing that Nigeria’s strategic position in West Africa makes the peaceful conduct of the polls critical to regional security and democratic consolidation.
The UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão, who gave the warning during a courtesy visit to INEC’s management in Abuja, urged political parties, candidates, supporters and other electoral stakeholders to ensure that political competition did not degenerate into violence, division and instability.
Simão said developments surrounding Nigeria’s elections would have consequences beyond the country’s borders, warning that any breakdown of the electoral process could undermine peace and democratic stability in neighbouring countries.
He maintained that credible and peaceful elections in Nigeria would not only strengthen the country’s democratic institutions but also reinforce confidence in democratic governance across the West African sub-region, where several countries were already grappling with political and security challenges.
The UN envoy acknowledged the enormous responsibility confronting INEC in organising the elections, particularly against the backdrop of security threats and other challenges affecting Nigeria and the wider region.
“We are here, pleased to give you moral support, that you are not alone in facing this mammoth task,” Simão said.
He assured the Commission of the UN’s continued engagement throughout the electoral process, explaining, however, that the international organisation would not participate as an election observer because it had no mandate to undertake election observation.
According to him, the UN’s involvement would focus on encouraging peaceful political participation, promoting dialogue among stakeholders and supporting conditions that would enable Nigerians to exercise their democratic rights without fear, intimidation or violence.
Simão urged Nigerians to regard elections as an opportunity to determine their political future, strengthen national cohesion and promote development rather than allow political differences to threaten the country’s stability.
He stressed that the UN remained committed to supporting peace, democratic governance and political stability in Nigeria and across West Africa, adding that the peaceful conduct of the 2027 elections would be important to the region’s democratic future.
Speaking separately during his engagement with British High Commissioner Pete Vowles, Amupitan described the diplomatic engagements with the United Kingdom and the United Nations as demonstrations of international interest in and support for Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
He said INEC was prepared to deepen its partnerships with both organisations, particularly in areas that would enhance electoral administration, strengthen institutional capacity and improve public confidence in the electoral process.
The chairman maintained that the Commission recognised the enormous expectations surrounding the 2027 elections and would continue to work with relevant national and international stakeholders to ensure that the polls were conducted in an atmosphere of peace, transparency, credibility and inclusiveness.
He assured Nigerians that the ongoing clean-up of the voters’ register, improvements in election technology, operational readiness assessments and strengthened stakeholder engagement were all geared towards addressing weaknesses in the electoral system and ensuring that the outcome of the 2027 elections reflected the will of the electorate.
