Friday, October 23, 2026 - Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately publish the preliminary voters’ register for public inspection ahead of the January 16, 2027, presidential election.
Atiku, through his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, expressed
concern in a statement on Thursday over the commission’s alleged failure to
upload the register to its online portal during the scheduled inspection period
of October 9 to 15.
INEC had earlier designated October 9 to 15 as the period
for eligible voters to inspect the preliminary register and verify their
details.
However, Atiku alleged that the commission failed to make
the document accessible to the public, warning that the development could erode
confidence in the electoral process.
He questioned how registered voters could confirm their
information, identify missing names, or challenge questionable entries without
access to the register.
The former vice president maintained that INEC’s claim that
Nigeria has more than 103 million registered voters was insufficient without
making the list available for public scrutiny.
“Show Nigerians the register,” Atiku demanded.
“You cannot hide their names from scrutiny and then ask them
to trust the election conducted with that list,” he stated.
He further cautioned that denying voters access to the
register could prevent them from discovering whether their names had been
omitted, removed, or unlawfully included in the electoral list.
Atiku called on INEC to publish the register according to
local government areas, area councils, and wards to enable voters to verify
their details and identify irregularities.
He also asked the commission to clarify the conflicting
dates surrounding the inspection exercise and provide an opportunity for
eligible voters to challenge inaccurate entries and correct omissions.
Additionally, the ADC presidential candidate urged Nigeria’s
international partners, election observers, and democratic institutions to
pressure INEC to comply with the law before election day.
According to Atiku, openness in voter registration and
ballot authentication remains critical to building public trust and ensuring
the credibility of elections.
His demand comes months before Nigerians head to the polls
to elect a president on January 16, 2027.
Recall that INEC listed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Atiku,
and 16 other presidential candidates to contest the forthcoming election.
Opposition figures have continued to question the
credibility and transparency of the electoral commission ahead of the 2027
polls.
The commission had recently denied allegations that it
violated the Electoral Act 2026 over its alleged failure to publish the
preliminary voters’ register.
Atiku’s renewed call for the immediate release of the
register has further drawn attention to concerns about electoral transparency
and INEC’s preparedness to conduct credible elections in 2027.
0 Comments