The Independent National Electoral Commission has expressed concern over the state of the national voter register, warning that it has not undergone comprehensive cleansing since 2011 despite the addition of 2,685,725 newly completed registrations in the first phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed the figures on Thursday at the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room National Stakeholders Forum on Elections in Abuja. He noted that the first phase of the exercise, which ended on December 10, recorded 1,576,137 completed online registrations and 1,109,588 completed through physical capture.
According to him, turnout was highest in Osun, Kaduna, Plateau, Imo, Borno and Lagos. “Osun State maintains its lead with 208,357 registered voters, followed by Kaduna with 159,669; Plateau with 152,650; and Imo with 145,561,” he said.
He confirmed that the claims and objections period will open on December 15, allowing citizens to verify entries before consolidation. While urging active participation, Amupitan warned that the voter register still contains the names of multiple deceased persons. “A prominent leader in Anambra who died 15 years ago is still on the register,” he said.
The INEC chairman said Phase Two of the CVR would begin on January 5, 2026, with centres moved closer to wards to reduce access challenges witnessed in Phase One.
On vote buying, Amupitan said the commission had written to the police and anti-graft agencies for updates on arrests made during recent elections. “INEC can only prosecute; we do not have powers to arrest,” he noted.
He added that while BVAS and the INEC Result Viewing Portal have boosted transparency, poor network coverage continues to hinder real-time uploads. He said discussions with the NCC and telecom operators were ongoing, adding that the commission does not control the underlying network infrastructure.
