The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched a nationwide voter revalidation exercise as part of its comprehensive preparations for the 2027 General Election, aiming to eliminate duplicates, underage registrations, non-citizens, and deceased individuals from the voters’ register.
The announcement came during a consultative meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Wednesday, where INEC Chairman Prof. Amupitan emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to ensure transparent and inclusive polls.
The meeting marked the beginning of a series of stakeholder engagements focused on upcoming elections and long-term democratic safeguards. Prof. Amupitan described the session as a vital platform for dialogue, highlighting that 2026 will be a year of heightened electoral activity leading up to the 2027 national vote.
“We call on all stakeholders to work collectively to safeguard the nation’s democracy,” he stated.
Reflecting on recent successes, the chairman praised the conduct of the Anambra State off-cycle governorship election on November 8, 2025, which involved over 2.8 million registered voters across 5,718 polling units and 16 political parties. He noted the election’s transparency, adherence to the law, and innovative measures like deploying sign language interpreters to enhance inclusivity.
Looking ahead, Prof. Amupitan detailed several key elections scheduled for 2026. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections are set for Saturday, February 21, involving more than 1.68 million voters across six area councils.
Preparations are well advanced, with non-sensitive materials delivered, ad hoc staff trained, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices configured, and sensitive materials due for delivery the day before the polls.
A mock accreditation exercise is planned for February 7 in selected FCT polling units, and 83 domestic alongside five foreign observers have been accredited.
On the same day, bye-elections will occur in Rivers State’s Ahoada East II and Khana II constituencies, as well as Kano State’s Kano Municipal and Ungogo constituencies, to fill vacancies caused by resignations and deaths of lawmakers.
Further into the year, the Ekiti State governorship election is slated for June 20, followed by Osun State’s on August 8, with several preparatory activities already completed for both.
For the 2027 General Election, INEC assured that the full timetable and schedule will comply with the Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022. However, Prof. Amupitan voiced concerns over delays in amending the Electoral Act, urging CSOs to advocate for swift action by the National Assembly to prevent disruptions.
The voter revalidation initiative was positioned as a cornerstone for building public trust, with the chairman stressing that “a credible voters’ register remains the foundation of public confidence in elections.”
He also updated on the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, reporting over 2.78 million new registrations in the first phase, with the second phase continuing until April 2026.
Additionally, INEC has received 171 applications from associations seeking to register as political parties, with approvals to be announced soon.
Prof. Amupitan appealed to CSOs to assist in mobilizing residents to collect Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before the February 10 deadline in the FCT, and to promote voter education, peaceful campaigns, and combat issues like hate speech, vote buying, and electoral violence.
In response, Grace Alache Jerry, speaking on behalf of the CSOs, affirmed their commitment to supporting INEC in strengthening democracy, including observing the FCT elections and ramping up voter sensitization. She echoed concerns about the Electoral Act delays, warning that they could hinder 2027 preparations, and called for intensified advocacy. “As stakeholders, we all have a critical role to play to ensure that the 2027 election happens seamlessly and without challenges,” she said.
