1.5m Voter Register Irregularities: APC Urges INEC To Ensure Register Integrity

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should do what is necessary to ensure the integrity of the voters’ register and guarantee the credibility of next year’s general election.

APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said this in an interview with LEADERSHIP, while reacting to the disclosure by INEC that it had identified approximately 1.5 million voter registrations with irregularities for removal from the national register ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The development forms part of the Commission’s efforts to clean up the voters’ register and strengthen the credibility of the electoral process.

This, the APC spokesperson said: “In keeping with its statutory duties, INEC should do what it must do to ensure the integrity of the voters’ register, and guarantee the credibility of next year’s general elections.”

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this when he received 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, who led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters on Wednesday in Abuja.

Amupitan said technology-enabled verification had helped the Commission identify the approximately 1.5 million registrations with irregularities, which were being targeted for removal from the register.

He disclosed that INEC had registered approximately 103 million voters, with young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 34 accounting for nearly 29 per cent of the electorate.

The chairman said the Commission was undertaking a comprehensive cleaning of the voter register through the claims and objections process, adding that the final register was scheduled for publication on December 15, 2026.

He further disclosed that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) was ongoing across the country.

On technological preparations, Amupitan said INEC would continue to strengthen the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter accreditation and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) for public access to polling-unit results.

He said the Commission was also planning a mock accreditation and election exercise to test its electoral technologies ahead of the 2027 polls, identify possible challenges and strengthen public confidence in the process.

The INEC chairman identified misinformation, disinformation and foreign information manipulation as major threats to electoral integrity, warning that the growing misuse of artificial intelligence and coordinated online campaigns could undermine public confidence in the electoral system.

He, therefore, called for stronger collaboration with the United Nations in promoting information integrity, countering electoral disinformation and strengthening public awareness initiatives.

Amupitan also outlined other areas of prospective cooperation, including conflict prevention, election security, early-warning mechanisms, stakeholder dialogue, peacebuilding and the protection of vulnerable groups, particularly women, youths and persons with disabilities.

On election security, he said the Commission was working with relevant security agencies to identify areas vulnerable to electoral violence and other security threats, with a view to developing appropriate preventive measures.

Earlier, Simão assured INEC of the United Nations’ support, noting that the Commission faced a significant responsibility in managing the electoral process in a country confronted by terrorism and other security challenges.

He said the visit was aimed at demonstrating the UN’s support for INEC as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.

According to him, elections should not become another source of violence or instability for Nigeria but should instead serve as instruments for promoting peace, democratic stability and national development.

“We are here, pleased to give you moral support, that you are not alone in facing this mammoth task,” he said.

Simão added that the United Nations would maintain a presence during the elections, not as observers, since it had no mandate to undertake election observation, but to encourage positive conduct and support an atmosphere conducive to peaceful participation.

He stressed that peaceful and successful elections in Nigeria would have implications beyond the country’s borders, serving as an inspiration to other countries in West Africa and contributing to regional stability.