The Independent National Electoral Commission says it received more than 4,800 claims and about 600 objections to its Preliminary Register of Voters as it works to clean up the database ahead of the 2027 general elections.\n<\/p>\n
The INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja while receiving the ECOWAS Pre-Election Fact-Finding Mission at the commission\u2019s national headquarters.\n<\/p>\n
Amupitan said the figures, recorded as of Thursday, comprised claims submitted at registration areas where the preliminary register was displayed and objections received through electoral officers and Resident Electoral Commissioners.\n<\/p>\n
He explained that most of the claims concerned corrections and other minor issues, adding that the online display of the register had also helped to identify discrepancies.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe display of the register online is also confirming some of the complaints we had earlier received,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n
The INEC chairman assured Nigerians that the commission would address all valid claims and objections before certifying the Final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026.\n<\/p>\n
He said the exercise was particularly important given the size of the register, which currently contains more than 103 million registered voters.<\/p>\n
According to him, the commission was determined to eliminate discrepancies and ensure that the final register was accurate ahead of the 2027 elections.\n<\/p>\n
Amupitan also announced plans to conduct a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November to test voter accreditation and results transmission simultaneously across all states.\n<\/p>\n
He said INEC had introduced an additional safeguard requiring election results to be authenticated at polling units before transmission to the commission\u2019s Election Results Viewing portal, IReV.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Commission had also introduced a safeguard whereby results are authenticated at the polling unit before they go to IReV,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n
The chairman explained that when he assumed office, the commission considered whether to introduce a different technology but decided against doing so because of time constraints.\n<\/p>\n
He said INEC instead focused on improving the existing system to strengthen the electoral process ahead of the next general elections.\n<\/p>\n
On preparations for the polls, Amupitan said the commission had conducted readiness assessments across several geopolitical zones, including the South-West in Lagos, North-West in Kaduna, South-East in Enugu and North-East in Gombe.<\/p>\n
He added that the commission would visit the North-Central zone the following week.<\/p>\n
According to him, the assessments had already prompted adjustments to deployment plans, particularly in areas with difficult terrain and security challenges.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring 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,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n
The INEC chairman, who said he was sworn in on October 23, 2025, also highlighted the commission\u2019s electoral experience during his first year in office.\n<\/p>\n
He said INEC had conducted four major off-cycle elections and 16 by-elections during the period.\n<\/p>\n
Amupitan cited the Anambra State governorship election, held two weeks after he assumed office, as an example of improved electoral administration.\n<\/p>\n
He said the result was concluded and announced within one day, compared with approximately five days in 2022.<\/p>\n
According to him, lessons from the Anambra election were subsequently applied during the Federal Capital Territory election in February, the Ekiti State governorship election in June and the Osun State governorship election on August 8, 2026.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us, every election provides its own lesson,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
On staff welfare, Amupitan disclosed that the commission had secured approval for the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure, known as CEMBSS.\n<\/p>\n
He said improved welfare for electoral officials would help reduce the risk of political interference.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIf our staff are well taken care of, then the temptation from the political group will be curtailed,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n
The chairman also expressed optimism about the commission\u2019s security arrangements, citing the experience in Osun State, where he said threats and violence recorded before the election subsided following adjustments to security measures and closer monitoring of volatile areas.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cPost-election violence has drastically reduced,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added that INEC was refining arrangements for internally displaced persons to ensure their participation in the electoral process.\n<\/p>\n
The commission, he said, was committed to \u201censure inclusivity, that no one is completely excluded.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Amupitan called for stronger cooperation with international partners, particularly in addressing electoral disinformation, improving logistics and strengthening voter education.\n<\/p>\n
He said INEC sought \u201ca hand-on-hand relationship with the international community, providing peer learning and technical exchange regarding best practices in combating sophisticated electoral disinformation, managing logistics in complex terrains, and strengthening inclusive voters\u2019 education.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
He also welcomed the deployment of ECOWAS long-term and short-term election observers, describing their independent assessments as important to the credibility of Nigeria\u2019s electoral process.\n<\/p>\n
The chairman assured the regional body that the commission would remain impartial in the discharge of its responsibilities.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Independent National Electoral Commission under my watch has no candidate and no political party,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added that Nigeria and other African countries needed to demonstrate their capacity to conduct credible elections and manage their democratic affairs.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to show clearly that we have come of age, Africa has come of age, and we are able to conduct our own affairs,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n
On his part, the leader of the ECOWAS Pre-Election Fact-Finding Mission and former Vice-President of Sierra Leone, Victor Bockarie Foh, said the mission was deployed under regional instruments governing democracy, good governance and conflict prevention.\n<\/p>\n
He said its mandate included assessing Nigeria\u2019s preparedness for the 2027 general elections and engaging political parties, government officials, the electoral management body, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.\n<\/p>\n
The mission would also gather legal documents governing the electoral process and assess the conditions under which the elections would be conducted.\n<\/p>\n
Foh said the deployment was based on the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, Article 53C of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework and the decision of the regional bloc\u2019s heads of state to send pre-election fact-finding missions to member countries holding elections.\n<\/p>\n
The mission\u2019s co-head, Dr Abbas Chernor Bundu, a former Executive Secretary of ECOWAS and former Speaker of Sierra Leone\u2019s Parliament, said the visit was intended to identify areas where the regional body could support INEC and other electoral stakeholders.<\/p>\n
He said the mission sought to \u201cgauge the state of preparedness of all the stakeholders and to see where ECOWAS Commission can be of support to INEC and all stakeholders in the process.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
The ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Francess Piagie Alghali, was also present at the meeting.\n<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, INEC has disclosed that 66 petitions arising from the publication of the final lists of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates for the 2027 general elections were successful.\n<\/p>\n
In a separate development, the commission said its Staff Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society was holding its 2026 Presidents\u2019 Annual General Meeting in Jos, Plateau State, to discuss strategies for strengthening the society and improving members\u2019 welfare.\n <\/p>\n
Source: <\/p>\n
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