INEC Under Fire: Voter Register Controversy, Electoral Act Breaches Rock 2027 Preparations

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is facing mounting scrutiny over its handling of the national voters’ register and compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, raising fresh concerns about transparency and institutional accountability ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

The controversy centres on the commission’s alleged failure to publish the preliminary voters’ register online within the statutory timeframe, alongside questions about the handling of political parties’ membership records and candidates’ nominations.

Under Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, INEC is required to make the preliminary register available for public scrutiny at registration areas and on its official website within the prescribed period.

Although the commission conducted a physical display of the register between 9 and 15 October 2026, it reportedly failed to publish the document online by the 18 October deadline.

The delay has prompted lawyers and electoral stakeholders to question whether INEC is applying the law consistently, particularly as it pursues political parties and candidates over alleged breaches of electoral deadlines.

Legal practitioners have argued that the commission, as the electoral regulator, must be subject to the same statutory requirements it enforces against political actors.

They warn that inconsistent application of electoral provisions could undermine public confidence in the commission and the credibility of the forthcoming elections.

However, some civil society stakeholders have cautioned against placing responsibility for every electoral dispute on INEC, arguing that political parties must also be held accountable for internal disputes, procedural failures and attempts to circumvent electoral rules.

The issue has also drawn attention to the commission’s handling of candidate nominations and party membership registers, with critics alleging that some political actors have faced stricter enforcement than others.

INEC defends voter register clean-up

INEC has meanwhile disclosed that it removed more than 1.27 million invalid records from the national voters’ register after a technology-assisted verification exercise identified approximately 1.5 million questionable entries.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the exercise was part of efforts to improve the integrity of the register ahead of the 2027 elections.

The commission disclosed that the register currently contains more than 103 million voters, with Nigerians aged between 18 and 34 accounting for nearly 29 per cent of registered voters.

The development follows concerns over suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs, duplicate entries and other questionable records in the preliminary register published online on 26 October.

INEC acknowledged the concerns, saying it had commenced investigations and corrective measures. It also clarified that the online version was the original preliminary register and did not reflect all ongoing data-cleaning activities.

The commission is expected to publish the final certified voters’ register on 15 December 2026.

Calls for stronger oversight

Stakeholders have called for greater transparency and independent oversight of the electoral commission, including legislative scrutiny, judicial intervention and monitoring by civil society organisations.

Lawyer Omale Ajonye argued that INEC’s constitutional independence should not shield it from legal accountability, insisting that electoral laws must apply equally to the regulator and political parties.

Former National Secretary of the Yoruba Council of Elders, Kunle Olajide, also urged the National Assembly to strengthen its oversight of the commission.

However, Lanre Suraj, Chairman of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, cautioned against attributing all electoral controversies to INEC, stressing that political parties must also take responsibility for complying with electoral laws.

Meanwhile, Amupitan disclosed that the commission had completed nine of the 14 activities on its revised election timetable and procured 57,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices for the forthcoming polls.

INEC is also strengthening its deployment of the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), while seeking international assistance on cybersecurity, election technology, staff training and the fight against disinformation.

With the 2027 elections approaching, the commission faces the challenge of addressing concerns about voter data, demonstrating consistent enforcement of electoral laws and maintaining public confidence in the electoral process.