By Our Correspondent
National News – Political parties, civil society organisations and the Obidient Movement have raised concerns over a proposed voter revalidation exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, warning that the plan could disenfranchise millions of voters and erode public trust in the electoral system.
INEC had announced plans to conduct a nationwide revalidation exercise between April 13 and May 29, 2026, aimed at cleaning up the voter register by removing ineligible entries such as deceased persons, underage voters, non-Nigerians and cases of multiple registrations.
However, opposition parties including the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, alongside the Obidient Movement and several civil society groups, warned that the exercise—coming less than nine months before the 2027 polls—could exclude many Nigerians, particularly rural residents who may face challenges with access, awareness and technical requirements.
ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, questioned the feasibility of the exercise, noting that many rural dwellers lack the resources and digital literacy required for the process.
Similarly, PDP spokesperson Ini Ememobong criticised the timing of the exercise, describing it as a misplaced priority and urging INEC to focus instead on improving election logistics.
Also reacting, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, warned that the move could further reduce voter participation and deepen public distrust in the electoral body.
Civil society organisations echoed similar concerns.
The Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani, cautioned that the exercise could discourage citizens from participating in elections if not properly managed.
Likewise, the Country Director of Accountability Lab Nigeria, Friday Odeh, said while revalidation might be necessary to clean up the voter register, it would not resolve the deeper issue of voter apathy and mistrust in the electoral process.
Meanwhile, INEC has directed Resident Electoral Commissioners across the country to suspend preparations for the revalidation exercise pending further directives.
In a letter dated April 4, 2026, the commission asked officials to halt publicity and logistical arrangements and await further guidance.
A former INEC Director of Voter Education, Oluwole Uzzi, said the commission has the constitutional authority to conduct voter registration and revalidation, but acknowledged that the timing of the exercise so close to the elections has raised political concerns among stakeholders.
