The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said its technology-enabled verification process has flagged about 1.5 million questionable voter registrations, with more than 1.27 million confirmed invalid and removed ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan (SAN), disclosed this at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, during separate visits by 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. Nigerianews subscription
Amupitan said the National Register of Voters stands at over 103 million, with Nigerians aged 18 to 34 accounting for nearly 29 per cent.
The commission is cleaning the register through the claims and objections process ahead of the publication of the final register on December 15.
Simão warned that the 2027 elections must not become another source of violence and instability, urging Nigeria to use the democratic process to promote peace, national cohesion and development. Nigerianews subscription
He said the UN was concerned about the heavy responsibility on INEC, given the security challenges in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
“We are here, pleased to give you moral support, that you are not alone in facing this mammoth task,” he said.
He said INEC had deployed its Candidates Nomination Portal, which processed nominations from 21 of the 22 registered political parties, procured 57,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices and procured election materials for 176,846 polling units. Early security coordination is under way through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
Amupitan named misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and the growing misuse of artificial intelligence as emerging threats. He sought expanded UK collaboration in cybersecurity, technological integrity, training for electoral personnel, strategic communication, countering disinformation and voter education, and support for inclusive participation by youths, women, persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups.
Vowles, who said he had been in Nigeria for about eight weeks, said his visit was to familiarise himself with INEC’s operations and preparations. He described Nigeria’s democracy as important to its citizens, the sub-region and the international community, saying the elections offered a chance to show how democracy could work in a large, diverse society.
He acknowledged the longstanding UK-Nigeria electoral partnership, which has included technical assistance, capacity building, gender mainstreaming, voter education and institutional policy development.
