The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has firmly ruled out any further extension of the continuous voter registration exercise, despite mounting pressure from opposition parties and civil society organisations. The decision comes after the electoral body had already granted a two-week extension that ended on Sunday.
INEC cites time pressure for register preparation
Wilfred Ifogah, INEC’s Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity, made the announcement during an interview on Channels Television. He explained that the commission is already under significant strain to meet the schedule for preparing the final voter register. “Even the extension by two weeks we gave is going to put us under pressure as a commission in preparing the register before the election. From our timetable and activities, we need about 75 days plus to get these registers prepared right from when we stopped the registration,” Ifogah stated.
The electoral umpire had initially planned to conclude registration earlier, but extended the deadline by 14 days to accommodate more citizens. However, that move has created a logistical bottleneck. Ifogah noted that the commission must now work intensively to compile, clean, and print the register within a tight window to meet constitutional deadlines.
Opposition and civil society demand more time
Various political parties and advocacy groups had called for another extension, arguing that millions of eligible voters were yet to register due to administrative hurdles and inadequate sensitisation. They contended that disenfranchisement could undermine the credibility of the upcoming general elections. In response, Ifogah expressed sympathy but maintained that the commission cannot accommodate further delays. “So we just have to stop the exercise. So for those who are unable to meet up well, I’ll say we are sorry there’s nothing we can do for now,” he said.
Implications for the 2027 general elections
With the registration now closed, INEC will focus on processing the collected data. The commission must deliver a credible register to ensure smooth voting in 2027. Political analysts warn that the failure to extend could suppress turnout, especially among young and first-time voters who faced challenges accessing registration centres. Meanwhile, INEC has urged citizens to verify their details during the upcoming display of the preliminary register, which is part of the 75-day preparation phase.
