2027: INEC Records Lowest Registered Voters in Ekiti, Bayelsa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recorded the lowest number of registered voters in Ekiti and Bayelsa ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The latest voters’ register shows that Ekiti has 1,055,708 registered voters, while Bayelsa follows with 1,200,691.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed the figures on Tuesday at a stakeholders’ meeting and press conference in Abuja.

Amupitan said the national register now contains 103,428,715 registered voters after the completion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

“The register now has 103,428,715 registered voters following the completion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration exercise and the subsequent biometric verification and clean-up,” Amupitan said.

The commission said the exercise added 10,772,421 new registrations before the final verification and clean-up of the register.

While Ekiti and Bayelsa recorded the lowest figures, Lagos emerged with the highest number of registered voters at 7,488,633.

Kano followed with 6,570,276 voters, while Kaduna ranked third with 4,662,640.

Katsina recorded 3,876,051 registered voters, followed by Rivers with 3,736,434.

Oyo had 3,588,111 voters, while Delta recorded 3,525,988. Benue followed with 3,057,225, while Ogun and Bauchi had 3,037,981 and 3,012,547 respectively.

The Federal Capital Territory has 1,732,043 registered voters, while Ondo and Gombe recorded 1,733,641 and 1,768,560 respectively.

INEC also announced that nationwide collection of newly issued Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will begin on October 9, 2026.

Amupitan said the commission would simultaneously display the voters’ register for public scrutiny from October 9 to 15.

“The display of the register will give Nigerians the opportunity to examine the voters’ register and raise claims or objections before the 2027 general elections,” he said.

The commission urged registered voters to use the exercise to verify their details and identify errors or omissions requiring correction.

The demographic breakdown shows that male voters constitute 53,528,218, representing 51.75 per cent of the national register.

Female voters number 49,900,497, accounting for 48.25 per cent.

Voters aged 35 to 49 form the largest age group, with 43,265,946 registered voters, representing 41.83 per cent of the register.

Those aged 18 to 34 account for 29,777,576 voters, or 28.79 per cent.

Voters between 50 and 69 number 22,982,900, representing 22.22 per cent, while those aged 70 and above account for 7,402,291 voters, or 7.16 per cent.

INEC also recorded 232,658 persons with disabilities across 10 categories, representing about 0.23 per cent of the register.

The largest category comprises 101,183 voters classified as “others”, followed by persons with albinism with 44,023 and those with physical impairment with 27,141.

The register also contains 19,936 persons with visual impairment, 14,326 with hearing impairment, 8,832 with autism and 7,723 with cognitive or learning disabilities.

Others include 5,755 persons with limb impairment, 2,008 with Down syndrome and 1,656 with spinal cord injuries.

The public display of the register forms part of INEC’s preparations for the 2027 elections and will allow voters to scrutinise their details before polling.