INEC to begin nationwide voter revalidation ahead of 2027 Polls

Joash Amupitan, chairman Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has announced that the commission will embark on a nationwide voter revalidation exercise ahead of the 2027 general election.

Amupitan disclosed this in Abuja at the first quarterly consultative meeting with civil society organisations as INEC intensified preparations for a busy electoral calendar leading into the next general polls.

He said a credible voters register remains the foundation of free fair and transparent elections.

According to him persistent challenges such as duplicate registrations under age registration registration by non citizens deceased voters and inaccurate records have continued to raise concerns and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

He said the commission would carry out a thorough clean up to strengthen the integrity of the national register.

Amupitan noted that Nigeria’s voters register which stood at 93,469,008 as of the 2023 general election has been continuously updated since it was first compiled ahead of the 2011 polls.

The INEC chairman also assured Nigerians that the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election would be released in line with the constitution and the electoral act.

He urged civil society groups to support calls for the national assembly to expedite action on ongoing amendments to the electoral act.

Read also:  INEC finalises 2027 election timetable

On upcoming elections Amupitan said INEC was ready for the federal capital territory area council elections scheduled for Saturday 21st February 2026.

He said the election will involve 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units in the six area councils and will be contested by 570 candidates.

He added that non sensitive materials had been delivered recruitment and training of ad hoc personnel concluded while BVAS devices were being configured for accreditation and upload of results to the IReV portal.

He announced that mock accreditation would be conducted on 7th February in 289 selected polling units across the area councils.

Amupitan said 83 domestic and five foreign observers had been accredited for the FCT polls with specialised resources deployed to ensure inclusivity for voters with disabilities.

The commission will also conduct bye elections on the same day in Ahoada East II and Khana II constituencies of Rivers State as well as Kano Municipal and Ungogo constituencies of Kano State.

He further confirmed that the Ekiti governorship election will hold on 20th June 2026 while Osun will conduct its governorship poll on 8th August 2026.

On continuous voter registration

Amupitan said INEC registered 2,782,589 eligible voters in the first phase of the exercise while the second phase runs from January to April 2026.

He also revealed that INEC received 171 letters of intent from associations seeking registration as political parties adding that successful associations would soon be announced.

The chairman urged civil society organisations to mobilise residents in the FCT to collect their permanent voters cards before the distribution ends on 10th February 2026.

He called for collaboration to tackle voter apathy and urged political parties and supporters to avoid hate speech vote buying misinformation and violence during campaigns.

Amupitan said the commission remains committed to a seamless inclusive and credible electoral process as Nigeria moves toward the 2027 general election.

Ruth Tene, Assistant Editor, Agric/Solid Minerals/INEC

Ruth Tene is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years experience in developmental reporting across several newsrooms, as a reporter, editor and other managerial roles. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Maiduguri among several other certifications

She has attended several trainings and certifications both locally and internationally and has been recognized for her impactful work in humanitarian reporting, receiving the Gold Award for Humanitarian Services from the Amazing Grace Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Home Alliance Fellowship, reflecting her commitment to fostering a more humane, safer and more sustainable planet.

An active member of professional journalism bodies, Ruth is affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Agricultural Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), where she continues to advocate for excellence, ethical reporting, and development-focused journalism.

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