Voter registration: INEC ends exercise today as opposition demands extension

BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has maintained that the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will officially end today (Sunday), despite mounting calls from opposition political parties and civil society organisations urging an extension to prevent millions of eligible Nigerians from being shut out of the 2027 general elections.

Frontline Reporters gathered that opposition parties and civic groups have intensified appeals for more time, arguing that extending the exercise would provide additional opportunities for Nigerians who are yet to register, while INEC insists that legal and administrative obligations make a further extension impossible.

In a notice posted on its official X handle on Saturday, the electoral body reaffirmed that all designated registration centres nationwide would remain open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 26, 2026.

“Your future won’t wait. Neither should you. The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ends Sunday, 26 July 2026,” the commission stated.

INEC also reminded prospective voters that registration could still be completed through its online portal or at any of its designated offices and centres across the country before the deadline expires.

INEC Says No Extension

Speaking with Frontline Reporters, INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, ruled out any extension, stressing that the commission must begin the painstaking process of data cleaning and verification immediately after the exercise closes.

“By midnight on Sunday, voter registration ends. There won’t be any extension. There are several backend processes that must commence immediately. We have to draw the line somewhere; otherwise, we may not produce a credible and clean voters’ register,” Haruna said.

He explained that INEC’s Information Technology Department and Voter Registration Unit would commence processing the data collected nationwide, deploying the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to identify and eliminate multiple registrations.

According to him, the commission will subsequently publish a provisional voters’ register for claims and objections, giving Nigerians the opportunity to challenge omissions, duplicates or inaccuracies before the final register is compiled.

“It is only after biometric verification and the claims and objections process that we will know the final number of new registrants. That figure will then be added to the existing register of over 93 million voters,” he added.

Haruna further dismissed fears that the closure would disenfranchise Nigerians, noting that INEC had made registration available online, physically at registration centres, and across all 774 local government areas.

Similarly, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Dayo Oketola, defended the commission’s position, describing the decision as consistent with constitutional provisions and necessary to facilitate preparations for the 2027 elections.

He maintained that the registration portal experienced no unusual pressure throughout the exercise and that extensive voter education campaigns had been carried out nationwide to encourage participation.

“Bringing the exercise to a close is critical to allow the commission to complete several pre-election activities. Keeping voter registration open indefinitely would adversely affect our preparations,” Oketola said.

Nearly Three Million Nigerians Registered

Data released by INEC indicate that 2,970,257 Nigerians completed registration during Phase III, Week Nine of the CVR exercise as of July 17, 2026.

The commission noted that the figures remain provisional and subject to biometric verification and public scrutiny during the claims and objections period.

Of the total registrations, 970,865 (33.79 per cent) were completed online, while 2,000,092 (66.21 per cent) were conducted physically across the country.

Women accounted for the majority of registrants with 1,561,765 (52.57 per cent), while male registrants stood at 1,409,192 (47.43 per cent).

Young Nigerians dominated the exercise, with 2,003,183 registrants—representing 67.43 per cent—falling within the 18 to 34 age bracket.

Students emerged as the largest occupational category, recording 695,026 registrations, followed by business owners (626,523), farmers and fishermen (505,402), and housewives (480,682).

INEC also recorded 32,361 registrations by Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs).

State-by-state figures showed Kano leading with 234,305 registrations, followed by Lagos (140,546), Edo (139,313), Delta (132,330), Taraba (113,409), and Ebonyi (111,344).

Opposition, CSOs Fault Closure

Opposition parties and civil society groups have, however, criticized INEC’s refusal to extend the exercise, insisting that the decision could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters.

African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, argued that voter registration should not be restricted by rigid timelines.

“We have mobilised our supporters nationwide to register, but many Nigerians cannot abandon their businesses and queue for hours at registration centres. Registration should remain accessible to everyone willing to participate in the democratic process,” he said.

The Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, questioned the rationale behind ending a process described as “continuous.”

“The name itself is Continuous Voter Registration. Millions of Nigerians will attain voting age before the elections. Are we saying they should be denied the opportunity to register?” he asked.

Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Publicity Secretary of the Taminu Turaki-led faction, Ini Ememobong, linked the low turnout to declining public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.

“Nigerians are becoming discouraged. Unless INEC demonstrates its commitment to conducting free, fair and credible elections, participation will continue to suffer,” he stated.

Civil society groups echoed similar concerns.

President of Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, urged the commission to consider extending the exercise by a few weeks to deepen democratic participation.

“With about six months to the elections, there may be a need to relax the closure of voter registration. The focus should be on making our democracy more inclusive,” she said.

Chairman of the BallotEyes Working Group, Olasupo Abideen, described the closure as premature, insisting that the commission could have sustained registration until November.

“We want more Nigerians to determine who governs them. Closing the portal this early sends the wrong signal,” he noted.

Executive Director of the Socio-Economic and Civic Rights Advocacy (SECRA), Emmanuel Olowu, also questioned the legal basis for ending the exercise nearly 180 days before the polls when the Electoral Act only stipulates a minimum of 90 days before an election.

APC, Yiaga Africa Back INEC

Despite the criticism, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and election observers have thrown their weight behind INEC.

APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu, said the electoral body requires sufficient time to plan and execute elections effectively.

“INEC gave every political party equal opportunity. If an extension will not affect its timetable, we have no objection, but the commission must be allowed to do its work,” he said.

Also supporting INEC’s position, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, said the commission was acting within the framework of the Electoral Act and its published timetable.

“The commission requires adequate time to clean the register, adjudicate claims and objections, remove duplicate entries, print voter registers and conclude other critical pre-election activities. While some prospective voters may be disappointed, adherence to the electoral timetable remains essential,” Itodo stated.

He, however, urged INEC to make voter registration genuinely continuous in future exercises to provide Nigerians with more opportunities to participate in the electoral process.

As the curtain falls on the 2026 CVR exercise today, the debate over inclusivity, electoral preparedness and public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions continues to dominate national discourse ahead of the 2027 general elections.