TEXT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE INEC CHAIRMAN , PROFESSOR JOASH OJO AMUPITAN, SAN ON THE DISPLAY AND PUBLICATION OF THE PRELIMINARY VOTERS REGISTER

TEXT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE INEC CHAIRMAN , PROFESSOR JOASH OJO AMUPITAN, SAN ON THE DISPLAY AND PUBLICATION OF THE PRELIMINARY VOTERS REGISTER 

Protocol

The Honourable National Commissioners

The Honourable Secretary of INEC

Civil Society Organisations 

Technical Aides to the Chairman

Directors and other Senior Staff of INEC 

Esteemed Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

Introduction

The Commission, {Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)} has received several complaints- claims and objections in respect of the display of the Preliminary Register of Voters displayed at the Ward between 9th and 15th October, 2026 and the subsequent publication online.

It must be noted that the current National Register of Voters evolved through successive registration and Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercises since 2011. It therefore contains biometric and demographic data captured under different technologies, operational arrangements and quality standards. Although the register has undergone cleansing and biometric comparison at different points, significant historical integrity questions remain since 2011 and require a national, systematic response.

Pursuant to section 19(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, the Commission is required to accept and consider objections, claims and complaints raised by the public to the Preliminary Register of Voters within fourteen (14) days after displaying the Voters Register. After verifying the objections, claims and complaints, the Commission is expected to take corrective action and ensure that the register is cleaned up ahead of the publication of the Final Register, which has been fixed for 15th December, 2026.

The display and online publication of the 2026 Preliminary Register brought additional public attention, comments and criticisms to apparently artificial or manipulated photographs, duplicate registration attempts, unusual names and registration patterns and reports of deceased persons remaining on the register. Some even alleged that those irregularities were intentional, aimed at compromising the 2027 election. 

Since the complaints were raised within the fourteen (14) day statutory window, the Commission waited for the expiration of the statutory period to consider the report of the review before responding to the concerns and objections by the public and to also identify those responsible for the infractions. The cleaning exercise aimed at addressing the irregularities observed in the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise has been concluded. 

A major source of concern for the Commission is that most of the current complaint of multiple registration of candidates arose from the historical data of 2011 to 2023. You will recall that in February 2026, the Commission announced plans for a nationwide voter revalidation exercise as part of its broader efforts to further strengthen the accuracy, quality and reliability of the register, particularly in relation to historical records captured using earlier generations of registration technology.

The proposed exercise was intended to provide an additional opportunity to update biometric information, resolve outstanding registration inconsistencies, improve election day accreditation experiences and improve the overall quality of voter records.

However, following concerns expressed by stakeholders about the proximity of the exercise to the 2027 General Elections and its potential impact on the participation of eligible voters, and the public, the Commission decided to defer the exercise until after the elections.

Importantly, the postponement of the revalidation exercise did not suspend the Commission's existing mechanisms for maintaining the integrity of the Register. Biometric screening, adjudication, statutory claims and objections, and other established verification procedures remain integral to the preparation of the Final Register of Voters.

Scope of review using Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) for the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise

The Commission harvested 11,088,238 records from the three Phases of the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. Of these, ABIS initially flagged 1,545,052 for examination. A flagged record is not necessarily an invalid registration: automated screening identifies matters requiring review, while authorised adjudication determines the outcome. Consequently, before publication of the Preliminary Register, 1,277,052 registrations had been confirmed invalid and excluded from the 1,545,052 for examination. 

Post-display action taken by the Commission

As a result of objections, claims and complaints received during the display and publication, a further 268,000 cases underwent adjudication. 217,722 were confirmed invalid and removed, while 50,278 were cleared as valid and retained. Additional screening subsequently identified 113,886 further invalid registrations, which were also removed. The cumulative total of confirmed invalid registrations removed after the objections, claims and complaints is 331,608, in addition to the 873 separately verified deceased voters' records. This brings the total clean-up to 1,608,660. 

The Commission confirms that the current register-cleaning exercise for the 2025/2026 Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) has been concluded. All 1,608,660 confirmed invalid registrations have been removed. In addition, 873 records belonging to verified deceased persons have also been removed as a separate category. The combined total of records removed under these two categories is 1,609,553. Final reconciliation, quality assurance and publication checks remain to ensure that approved changes are accurately reflected in the final register, scheduled for publication on 15 December 2026. With this, the complaints and irregularities raised by the public on the preliminary register for the 2025/2026 CVR have been addressed. 

How the irregularities arose and what is being done

The Commission considers the 1,609,553 as significant enough to warrant an examination of how it occurred and those responsible for this. 

The technical assessment examined suspected multiple registrations, unusual registration patterns, substituted photographs and irregularities associated with registration transactions. 

The Commission found instances in which certain registration personnel deliberately circumvented established registration procedures and misused provisions intended for exceptional registration circumstances including for persons with dissabilities. 

The affected records have been identified and subjected to the appropriate review and remediation processes, while the associated personnel have been identified for further administrative investigation.

To prevent recurrence, the Commission is strengthening its registration controls with enhanced biometric capture, authentication and verification safeguards.

Fifty-four persons cutting across ten States have been identified as complicit and necessary disciplinary action will be taken against them including possible prosecution. 

Historical records are a separate matter

Cleaning the register of only the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise alone will not solve the problem identified. Even with the removal of 331,608 who were found to be irregular in the Preliminary Voter Register for 2025/2026 displayed and published, the final list will still carry over the duplications of 2011-2023. Most of the duplication of names and pictures circulated on social media were complaint in respect of the old register of 2011-2023. 

The Commission at its meeting of Monday 9th November 2026 decided to address those duplications found in the old register and directed already flagged as a result of complaints received and obvious cases on the register should removed after proper verification. 

Those alleging their names were omitted

From the complaint received from some voters of the omission of their names, it was discovered that most of the complaints were from voters who registered between 2011-2023. Instead of transferring their registration to their new location, they decided to re-register again. Those second registrations were voided by ABIS, but their names are still contained in their previous location. They were accordingly advised to check their previous locations.

Distribution of PVC

The distribution of Phases 1 and 2 of the PVC and transferred PVCs is on-going at the various LGAs in Nigeria. Some of the PVC for the third and final Phase are being delivered and they would be dispatched to the States by next week. Meanwhile as from 1st December 2026, distribution will go back to the Registration Areas all over Nigeria. We appeal to those that registered in the third pahse to be a little bit aptient since the production is done outside the country.

Protecting eligible voters

The Commission remains committed both to removing confirmed invalid entries and to protecting eligible Nigerians from wrongful exclusion. Public observations, documented claims and objections and verified State Office submissions are important inputs to this process. The results presented today reflect the evidence examined and the corrective action recorded. 

It is important to emphasise that the Commission has additional safeguards in place on Election Day to prevent multiple accreditation and voting. The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Presiding Officers, together with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), require every voter to be physically present at their designated Polling Unit and undergo biometric authentication using either fingerprints or facial recognition. The accreditation process verifies the voter's identity against the register and records successful accreditation, with controls designed to prevent the same voter from being accredited more than once. 

These measures, alongside the prescribed procedures for issuing ballot papers, provide an additional layer of protection against multiple voting.

Conclusion

The Commission recognises that the detection of irregularities raises legitimate questions about how they arose. The response is evidence-led investigation, completed corrective action and stronger preventive controls. 1,609,553 records have been removed, comprising 1,608,660 confirmed invalid registrations and 873 verified deceased-voter records. INEC will continue to communicate verifiable aggregate outcomes while protecting personal information and the integrity of ongoing investigations.

Thank you for listening.

May God bless the Independent National Electoral Commission. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN

Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission

8th November, 2027