INEC to Conduct Nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise Ahead of 2027 Polls

INEC to Conduct Nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise Ahead of 2027 Polls

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to embark on a nationwide voter revalidation exercise as part of preparations for the 2027 General Election, in a move aimed at strengthening the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at the Commission’s first regular consultative meeting with media executives since he assumed office.

He said the exercise had become necessary to sanitise the national voters’ register and restore public confidence in elections.

“A credible register of voters remains the bedrock of free, fair and transparent elections. No electoral process can command public confidence without trust in the integrity of its voters’ register.

“Accordingly, the Commission will soon embark on a nationwide voter revalidation exercise ahead of the 2027 General Election,” Amupitan said.

He explained that although Nigeria’s voters’ register, first compiled ahead of the 2011 elections, had been continuously updated and used for successive elections, persistent challenges such as duplicate registrations, inclusion of deceased persons and non-citizens, as well as inaccurate records, continued to undermine confidence in the system. As of the 2023 General Election, the register stood at 93,469,008 voters.

Amupitan also outlined preparations for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026, involving over 1.68 million registered voters across six area councils.

He said non-sensitive materials had been deployed, election officials trained, and technologies such as the BVAS configured, with a mock accreditation planned ahead of the polls.

In addition, he confirmed that INEC would conduct bye-elections on the same date in affected constituencies in Rivers and Kano states, following the resignation and death of sitting lawmakers.

On the 2027 General Election, the INEC chairman assured Nigerians that the timetable and schedule of activities had been finalised in compliance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act, while urging the National Assembly to expedite action on ongoing amendments to the law.

He also warned against double voter registration during the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, noting that over 2.78 million voters were registered in the first phase alone.

“Nobody should register twice because our system will detect it. Those involved in double registration will be removed from the register and barred from participating in future elections,” he said.

Amupitan called on the media to intensify public sensitisation on PVC collection, particularly in the FCT, and to play an active role in combating misinformation and disinformation as the country moves into a season of intense electoral activities.

“Elections are no longer contested only at the polling units; they are contested in the information space,” he said, urging journalists to rely on INEC’s official platforms and authorised sources to protect the integrity of the electoral process.

He concluded by stressing that preparing for credible elections ahead of 2027 was a shared responsibility, calling on all stakeholders to remain vigilant and proactive in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.