2027: INEC Urges N’Assembly to Expedite Action on Electoral Act Amendment 

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 general election.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during the first regular consultative meeting with civil society organisations.

He stated: “Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 empowers the commission to issue a notice of election not later than 360 days before the date of the poll.

“While the National Assembly is currently working on amendments to the Electoral Act, the commission has made its submission as required.

“We are mindful of the growing public interest and anticipation surrounding the release of the timetable and wish to assure political parties and the Nigerian public that the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election will be released in full compliance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and the Electoral Act, 2022.

“Having said that, we seek your support in urging the National Assembly to expedite action on the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act.

“As we look towards the 2027 general election, it is imperative that we remain vigilant and proactive. We must prepare for a seamless electoral process that embodies the ideals of democracy, justice and inclusivity. This is a collective responsibility, and each one of you plays a vital role in fostering democracy in Nigeria.”

Amupitan added that a credible register of voters remains the bedrock of free, fair and transparent elections, saying no electoral process can command public confidence without trust in the integrity of its voters’ register.

He stressed that Nigeria’s national register, first compiled ahead of the 2011 general election, had since been continuously updated and deployed in the general election of 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023, as well as in several off-cycle governorship and bye-elections.

The INEC Chairman noted that as of the 2023 general election, the register stood at 93,469,008 voters, however, persistent challenges — including duplicate registrations, under-age registration, registration by non-citizens, deceased voters and incomplete or inaccurate records— continue to generate legitimate concerns.

According to him, “Such anomalies undermine public confidence in the electoral process. In response, the commission will embark on a thorough clean-up with a view to further sanitising and strengthening the integrity of the register. Accordingly, the commission will be embarking on a nationwide voter revalidation exercise ahead of the 2027 general election.”

Amupitan informed the CSOs that in the first phase of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) conducted from August 18 to December 10, 2025, the commission registered a total of 2,782,589 eligible voters.

He stressed that the second phase commenced on January 5, 2026 and would run until April 17, 2026, adding that the entire CVR is scheduled to span one year and will conclude on August 30, 2026.

“We are encouraged by the strong public response to the exercise, which affirms the continuing belief of Nigerians in the democratic process and in the efforts of the commission to ensure that every eligible citizen is afforded the opportunity to register and vote. For transparency purposes, data on completed online pre-registrations and physical registrations are published weekly on the commission’s website,” Amupitan said.

On party registration, the chairman recalled that the commission received a total of 171 letters of intent from associations seeking registration as political parties.

He said the associations were assessed in line with Section 222 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), Section 79(1), (2) and (4) of the Electoral Act, 2022, as well as Clause 2 of the commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022.

“Several of the associations were unable to fulfil the constitutional requirements and the requirements of the Electoral Act, 2022, as well as the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties. The successful association(s) will soon be announced by the commission,” he said.