The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has directed all Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to step down all publicity and arrangements for the planned voter revalidation exercise.
The directive came amid concerns by stakeholders, including political scientists and the opposition, over the exercise, reports Daily Trust.
A letter addressed to RECs, dated April 4, 2026, signed by its Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, asked them to await further directives from the commission.
The notice said the meeting of the commission with RECs, scheduled for April 9 at 11am will now hold via zoom.
The INEC had announced a nationwide revalidation exercise aimed at sanitising the voter register by removing ineligible entries and strengthening the credibility of future elections.
Opposition rejects exercise
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) yesterday alleged that the voter revalidation exercise would be a “recipe for chaos” as it could disenfranchise millions of Nigerians ahead of the elections.
In a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party argued that requiring already registered voters to revalidate their details less than 10 months to the polls would suppress turnout, deepen voter apathy and unfairly exclude those unable to travel.
The ADC also questioned why such a major exercise is emerging just days to its proposed commencement, cautioning the INEC against actions that could be perceived as aiding “electoral manipulation.”
It urged the Commission to abandon the plan and reassure Nigerians of its commitment to a credible and inclusive electoral process.”
“Coming less than ten months to a general election, such an exercise risks disenfranchising millions of Nigerians. It is already difficult enough to get citizens to register to vote in the first place. To now require them to return and “revalidate” their registration is, in effect, to ask them not to bother at all.
The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, described the timing of the planned voter revalidation exercise as “suspicious”.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, told our correspondent yesterday that the exercise was seen as an attempt to disenfranchise many Nigerians.
“The timing of the exercise is suspicious, especially with the manner the commission has been acting. The question is, why now? Why wasn’t it done a year or two ago? This can be seen as an attempt to disenfranchise Nigerians,” he said.
‘It’s ploy to reduce North’s voting strength’
A group, known as Concerned Former Legislators, in a statement titled ‘A Call to Northern Stakeholders on the Proposed PVC Revalidation Exercise’ and signed by Hon. Ayuba Mohammed Bello, said any policy that creates the impression of selective disenfranchisement must be approached with extreme caution.
The statement was addressed to the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the Arewa Elders Forum (AEF), the League of Northern Democrats (LND), the Northern Governors Forum, the Northern Caucuses in the National Assembly, traditional institutions across the 19 northern states, Muslim and Christian clerics, youth and students organisations, northern Political pressure groups as well as former Heads of State, Generals Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (Rtd) and Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd) “whose voices still carry immense moral authority in shaping national direction.”
According to the group, “There is a growing and widespread perception across the North that this revalidation exercise is not merely administrative, but strategically timed and structured in a way that could significantly reduce the voting strength of the region ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We write this as a matter of urgent collective concern that touches the very foundation of our democratic participation and political relevance as a people.”
The group called on all northern leaders and institutions to rise above silence and act in defence of democratic fairness.
“If, for any reason, INEC insists that revalidation is necessary, then fairness demands that the exercise be suspended until after the 2027 general elections, or it can be conducted only when security conditions have significantly improved, allowing full participation. Anything short of this risks undermining the credibility of the electoral process,” it added.
Political scientists caution against disenfranchisement
Political scientists, who spoke to our correspondent, cautioned against disenfranchising eligible voters.
Dr Mohammed Alada of the University of Ilorin said voter revalidation is necessary to update the voters’ register in line with realities such as deaths, relocation of voters and other demographic changes.
He, however, warned that the exercise must not be implemented in a way that becomes burdensome for citizens.
“While revalidation is necessary because of issues of deaths, relocation and other situations that might arise, it should not be done as a form of conscription,” he said.
Alada cautioned against compressing the exercise into a very short timeframe, noting that inadequate timelines could create logistical challenges and reduce effective participation.
He said, “Within a very short time, not up to four weeks, perhaps about three weeks, many factors can hinder the process, including awareness, logistics, and institutional limitations.
An Associate Professor of Political Science at Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Sikiru Lanre Nurudeen, said electoral processes must prioritise inclusiveness and broad participation, warning against any framework that could exclude eligible voters.
He said voter revalidation and updates to the register should be handled in a way that ensures credibility while also guaranteeing maximum participation.
He said the register should be continuously updated to reflect deaths, new eligible voters and other demographic changes, but in a way that does not disenfranchise citizens.
Executive Director, Community Outreach for Development and Welfare Advocacy, Taiwo Otitolaye, said the INEC should extend the timeline for voter revalidation.
“The time allotted is too short for people to get their voter’s card revalidated ahead of the next election.
“Continuous voter registration is at local government headquarters, and in many places there are unmotorable roads leading to remote communities. INEC should consider these challenges and extend the exercise.
Director, Media Advocacy and Technologies Centre, Musa Aliyu, described the voters’ revalidation exercise as a necessary step towards strengthening electoral integrity in Nigeria, but warned that the short notice and limited duration of the exercise raise serious concerns.
According to him, “allocating just three weeks for voter register revalidation in a country with over 90 million registered voters is grossly inadequate”.
A former Director of Voter Education at the INEC, Nick Dazang, when contacted, said: “Section 12(1) e of the Act states that a person shall be qualified to be registered as a voter if such a person is not subject to any legal incapacity to vote under any law, rule or regulations in force in Nigeria.
“Also, Section 19 of the Act states that “the Commission shall, not later than 90 days to a general election, appoint a period of seven days during which a copy of the voter’ register for each Local Government Area, Area Council or ward shall be displayed or published for public scrutiny at every registration area and on its official website or any website established by the Commission for that purpose.
“This is the Claims & Objections window. After harvesting all the registrations, the commission will then run the AUTOMATED BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS software, which is used for fingerprint and facial recognition as well as to identify and remove multiple registrations.
“Remember that BVAS captures fingerprints and facials, hence the deployment of the ABIS Software.”
Exercise to strengthen electoral process participation – INEC
The INEC has explained that the exercise is designed to strengthen, not restrict, participation in the electoral process.
The Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, told one of our correspondents that the objective of the exercise was to improve the quality of the voter register.
“Far from it, please. The expected outcome of the exercise is to have a more credible register of voters,” she said.
