Voter Register: INEC to purge 1.5 million irregular registrants

By Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA: The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC is set to delete about 1.5 million voter registrations found to be irregular from the national register ahead of the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan SAN, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters.

The delegation was led by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mr. Leonardo Santos Simão. Amupitan said technology-enabled verification helped the Commission isolate the affected entries. The deletions, he explained, are part of a comprehensive cleaning of the register through the claims and objections process.

The final register is scheduled for publication on December 15, 2026. The INEC chairman said the Commission has registered approximately 103 million voters. Young Nigerians aged 18 to 34 make up nearly 29 per cent of them. He added that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) is ongoing across the country. Amupitan said INEC would continue to strengthen the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for accreditation, and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) for public access to polling-unit results.

The Commission is also planning a mock accreditation and election exercise to test these tools, identify possible challenges and build public confidence before the 2027 polls. Amupitan identified misinformation, disinformation and foreign information manipulation as major threats to electoral integrity. He warned that the growing misuse of artificial intelligence and coordinated online campaigns could undermine public confidence in the electoral system.

He therefore asked the UN for stronger collaboration on information integrity, countering electoral disinformation and public awareness. Other areas of prospective cooperation he outlined include conflict prevention, election security, early-warning mechanisms, stakeholder dialogue and peacebuilding. He also listed the protection of vulnerable groups, particularly women, youths and persons with disabilities.

On security, Amupitan said INEC is working with relevant agencies to map areas vulnerable to electoral violence and other threats, so that preventive measures can be developed. Simão said the visit was meant to show UN support for INEC, noting that the Commission carries a significant responsibility in managing elections in a country confronted by terrorism and other security challenges.

According to him, the UN will maintain a presence during the elections, not as observers since it has no mandate for election observation, but to encourage positive conduct and support an atmosphere conducive to peaceful participation. Simão said elections should not become another source of violence or instability for Nigeria, but should promote peace, democratic stability and national development.

He added that peaceful and successful elections in Nigeria would carry implications beyond its borders, serving as an inspiration to other West African countries and contributing to regional stability and integration. “We are here, pleased to give you moral support, that you are not alone in facing this mammoth task,” he said.