morganablE Politics/elections
The chairman assured Nigerians that the commission would thoroughly examine all legitimate claims and objections before certifying the Final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026.
KaNo—
The Independent National Electoral Commission has received over 5,400 claims and objections concerning its Preliminary Register of Voters as part of efforts to eliminate discrepancies and ensure the credibility of the voter database ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission disclosed that more than 4,800 claims and approximately 600 objections had been submitted by Nigerians following the nationwide display of the preliminary register for public scrutiny.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), made this known on Friday in Abuja while receiving members of the Economic Community of West African States Pre-Election Fact-Finding Mission at the commission’s national headquarters.
Amupitan explained that the figures, recorded as of Thursday, represented submissions received at registration areas where the preliminary register was displayed, alongside objections forwarded through electoral officers and Resident Electoral Commissioners.
According to him, most of the claims involved requests for corrections and other minor discrepancies, while the online display of the register had provided an additional opportunity for voters to identify errors requiring attention.
“The display of the register online is also confirming some of the complaints we had earlier received,” he said.
The chairman assured Nigerians that the commission would thoroughly examine all legitimate claims and objections before certifying the Final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026.
He noted that the exercise was particularly significant because Nigeria’s voter register currently contained more than 103 million registered voters, making accuracy essential to the credibility of the forthcoming elections.
Amupitan maintained that INEC remained committed to producing a reliable register that would strengthen public confidence in the electoral process and minimise disputes arising from voter registration discrepancies.
As part of preparations for the polls, the chairman announced that the commission would conduct a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November to assess the effectiveness of its technological systems.
He explained that the exercise would simultaneously test voter accreditation and electronic transmission of election results across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to him, INEC had introduced additional safeguards requiring election results to undergo authentication at polling units before being transmitted to the commission’s Election Results Viewing portal, popularly known as IReV.
“The Commission had also introduced a safeguard whereby results are authenticated at the polling unit before they go to IReV,” he stated.
Amupitan explained that although the commission initially considered introducing an entirely different technological system after he assumed office, the limited preparation period made such a decision impractical.
He said the commission consequently resolved to improve its existing technological infrastructure to enhance transparency, efficiency and public confidence during the 2027 elections.
Speaking on operational readiness, the INEC chairman disclosed that the commission had undertaken assessments across several geopolitical zones to identify logistical challenges and determine areas requiring additional resources.
He identified Lagos, Kaduna, Enugu and Gombe as locations where the assessments had been conducted, representing the South-West, North-West, South-East and North-East geopolitical zones.
He added that officials would visit the North-Central zone the following week to continue evaluating the commission’s preparedness.
Amupitan said findings from the assessments had already necessitated adjustments to deployment arrangements, particularly in communities affected by difficult geographical conditions and insecurity.
“During our meeting earlier this week, we realised that there are some areas that we needed higher deployments than we had planned because of the terrain and some of the security issues that are prevalent,” he said.
The chairman also reviewed the commission’s performance since his inauguration on October 23, 2025, revealing that INEC had conducted four major off-cycle elections and 16 by-elections within the period.
He cited the Anambra State governorship election, conducted shortly after he assumed office, as evidence of improvements in election management and the timely announcement of results.
According to him, the Anambra election results were concluded and announced within one day, compared with approximately five days in 2022.
Amupitan explained that lessons gathered from the exercise informed subsequent electoral operations, including the Federal Capital Territory election in February, the Ekiti governorship election in June and the Osun governorship election on August 8, 2026.
“For us, every election provides its own lesson,” he said.
On electoral officials’ welfare, the chairman disclosed that the commission had secured approval for the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure to improve the remuneration and working conditions of its personnel.
He expressed confidence that better welfare packages would strengthen staff independence and reduce their vulnerability to inducement or interference by political interests.
“If our staff are well taken care of, then the temptation from the political group will be curtailed,” he said.
Addressing security concerns, Amupitan said the commission had continued working with relevant agencies to strengthen arrangements for peaceful elections, particularly in locations previously affected by electoral violence.
He referenced the Osun State governorship election, explaining that security adjustments and closer monitoring of identified flashpoints helped address threats recorded before the exercise.
“Post-election violence has drastically reduced,” he added.
The chairman further disclosed that INEC was reviewing arrangements to facilitate the participation of internally displaced persons in the electoral process.
He emphasised that the commission remained committed to ensuring inclusivity and preventing eligible Nigerians from being excluded from exercising their voting rights.
Amupitan also sought stronger collaboration with international development partners in tackling electoral disinformation, addressing logistical difficulties and improving voter education.
He welcomed the proposed deployment of ECOWAS long-term and short-term observers, describing independent election assessments as important to strengthening electoral credibility.
Reaffirming the commission’s neutrality, he declared, “The Independent National Electoral Commission under my watch has no candidate and no political party.”
He stressed that Nigeria and other African countries must demonstrate their ability to independently organise credible elections and sustain democratic governance.
“We need to show clearly that we have come of age, Africa has come of age, and we are able to conduct our own affairs,” he said.
Earlier, the leader of the ECOWAS Pre-Election Fact-Finding Mission and former Vice-President of Sierra Leone, Victor Bockarie Foh, explained that the delegation was operating under regional frameworks promoting democracy, good governance and conflict prevention.
Foh said the mission would assess Nigeria’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections through consultations with political parties, government officials, electoral authorities, civil society organisations and other critical stakeholders.
