The Independent National Electoral Commission postponed its planned nationwide voter revalidation exercise until after the 2027 general elections. Officials made the decision on Friday during a meeting with resident electoral commissioners.
Independent National Electoral Commission National Commissioner and Information and Voter Education Committee Chairman Mohammed Haruna issued the statement. He said the postponement followed deliberations between the commission and the resident electoral commissioners.
“Following deliberations, the commission resolved to postpone the exercise until after the 2027 General Election,” Haruna stated.
The voter revalidation exercise sought to strengthen the credibility of the voter register. It would have let registered voters verify and update their personal details. The process also targeted the removal of duplicate entries and ineligible records.
Haruna explained the goals clearly. He added that the exercise would give voters the chance to confirm or correct their information where necessary. However the commission suspended all publicity and arrangements for the exercise on April 5. Officials had originally scheduled the nationwide activity to start on April 13.
Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman Joash Amupitan oversaw the commission during the decision. Haruna stressed that the body remained focused on its core duty. “INEC remains committed to the conduct of free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections,” he declared.
The postponement means no updates to voter records will occur before the next general polls. Nigerians must wait until after 2027 for any revalidation process. The commission gave no further reasons for the delay beyond the outcome of the recent meeting.
