By Habeeb Ibrahim
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has flagged approximately 1.5 million voter registrations for removal from the national register over irregularities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a meeting with the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão, who led a delegation to the Commission’s headquarters.
Amupitan said technology-enabled verification had helped the Commission identify the registrations with irregularities as part of efforts to clean up the voters’ register and strengthen the credibility of the electoral process.
He disclosed that Nigeria currently had approximately 103 million registered voters, with young people between the ages of 18 and 34 accounting for nearly 29 per cent of the electorate.
According to him, INEC is conducting a comprehensive review of the register through its claims and objections process, with the final voters’ register scheduled for publication on December 15, 2026.
The chairman also said the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) was ongoing across the country.
On preparations for the 2027 elections, Amupitan said the Commission would strengthen the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
He added that INEC was planning a mock accreditation and election exercise to test its electoral technologies, identify possible challenges and improve public confidence ahead of the polls.
Amupitan identified misinformation, disinformation and foreign information manipulation as major threats to electoral integrity, warning that the misuse of artificial intelligence and coordinated online campaigns could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
He called for stronger collaboration with the United Nations to promote information integrity, tackle electoral disinformation and improve public awareness.
The INEC chairman further disclosed that the Commission was working with security agencies to identify areas vulnerable to electoral violence and other security threats ahead of the elections.
In his remarks, Simão assured INEC of the United Nations’ support, noting that the Commission faced a significant responsibility in conducting elections in a country grappling with terrorism and other security challenges.
He said the visit was intended to demonstrate the UN’s support for INEC as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Simão stressed that elections should not become a source of violence or instability but should promote peace, democratic stability and national development.
“We are here, pleased to give you moral support, that you are not alone in facing this mammoth task,” he said.
He added that the United Nations would maintain a presence during the elections, not as observers, since it had no mandate to undertake election observation, but to encourage positive conduct and support peaceful participation.
According to him, peaceful elections in Nigeria would also contribute to stability across West Africa and serve as an inspiration to other countries in the region.
