By Stella Odueme
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the removal of 1,608,660 confirmed invalid voter registrations and 873 records belonging to verified deceased persons from the national voters register following its review of the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed this on Monday during a press conference on the display and publication of the Preliminary Register of Voters, where he also revealed that 54 persons across 10 states had been identified for their alleged involvement in irregularities recorded during the registration exercise.
Amupitan said the affected persons, including registration personnel who deliberately circumvented established procedures, would face necessary disciplinary measures, including possible prosecution.
He explained that the Commission undertook a comprehensive review of complaints, claims and objections received following the display of the Preliminary Register of Voters at registration wards between October 9 and 15, 2026, as well as its subsequent online publication.
According to him, the review was conducted in accordance with Section 19(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which provides a 14-day window for members of the public to submit complaints and objections against the Preliminary Register.
The INEC chairman said the Commission waited for the expiration of the statutory period to examine the complaints, establish the facts and identify those responsible for the observed irregularities.
Giving a breakdown of the exercise, Amupitan disclosed that INEC harvested 11,088,238 registration records from the three phases of the 2025/2026 CVR exercise.
He said the Commission's Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) initially flagged 1,545,052 records for further examination.
However, he clarified that being flagged by the automated system did not automatically make a registration invalid, as each case was subjected to further examination and authorised adjudication.
He said before the publication of the Preliminary Register, 1,277,052 registrations had already been confirmed invalid and excluded.
Following additional complaints received during the public display and online publication, another 268,000 cases were subjected to adjudication.
Of this number, 217,722 registrations were confirmed invalid and removed, while 50,278 were cleared as valid and retained in the register.
Amupitan added that subsequent screening identified another 113,886 invalid registrations, bringing the cumulative number of invalid registrations removed after the public objections and review process to 331,608.
He said the Commission also removed 873 records belonging to verified deceased voters as a separate category.
The chairman declared that the cleaning exercise relating to the 2025/2026 CVR had been concluded, with final reconciliation, quality assurance and publication checks underway ahead of the release of the Final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026.
Explaining how the irregularities occurred, Amupitan said the Commission's technical assessment identified suspected multiple registrations, unusual registration patterns, substituted photographs and other irregularities associated with registration transactions.
He disclosed that investigations revealed instances where some registration personnel deliberately circumvented established procedures and abused provisions designed to accommodate exceptional registration circumstances, including registration for persons with disabilities.
According to him, the affected records have been identified and subjected to appropriate review and remediation, while the personnel connected with the infractions have been identified for administrative investigation.
"Fifty-four persons cutting across ten states have been identified as complicit and necessary disciplinary action will be taken against them, including possible prosecution," he said.
He added that the Commission was strengthening its registration controls through enhanced biometric capture, authentication and verification safeguards to prevent a recurrence.
The INEC chairman, however, warned that addressing irregularities associated with the 2025/2026 registration exercise alone would not resolve all the integrity concerns surrounding the national voters register.
He explained that several complaints involving multiple registrations, duplicate names and photographs circulated on social media were linked to historical voter records captured between 2011 and 2023.
According to him, the current national register evolved through successive registration and Continuous Voter Registration exercises since 2011, using different technologies, operational arrangements and quality standards.
He said although the Commission had conducted biometric comparisons and other cleansing exercises over the years, significant historical integrity issues remained.
Amupitan disclosed that at its meeting on Monday, November 9, 2026, the Commission resolved to address the identified duplications in the historical register.
He said INEC had directed that cases already flagged through public complaints, as well as obvious cases identified on the register, should be removed after proper verification.
The chairman recalled that the Commission had announced plans in February 2026 to conduct a nationwide voter revalidation exercise to strengthen the accuracy and reliability of the register.
He explained that the exercise was designed to provide an opportunity for voters to update their biometric information, resolve registration inconsistencies and improve accreditation on election day.
However, following concerns from stakeholders about its proximity to the 2027 general elections and the possibility of disenfranchising eligible voters, the Commission decided to postpone the exercise until after the elections.
He stressed that the postponement did not suspend existing mechanisms for maintaining the integrity of the register, noting that biometric screening, adjudication and statutory claims and objections remained in operation.
Addressing complaints by some Nigerians who claimed that their names were missing from the Preliminary Register, Amupitan said investigations showed that most of the cases involved voters who registered between 2011 and 2023.
He explained that some affected persons moved to new locations but instead of transferring their voter registration to their new polling areas, they registered afresh.
According to him, the Automated Biometric Identification System identified and voided the subsequent registrations, while their original records remained in their previous locations.
He therefore advised affected voters to check their former registration locations to establish the status of their records.
On concerns over the use of artificial intelligence to manipulate photographs submitted during voter registration, the chairman said the Commission had investigated several complaints and identified instances where manipulated images were used to circumvent registration procedures.
He explained that some individuals exploited weaknesses in the existing photograph-uploading process to introduce artificial or substituted photographs into the registration system.
Amupitan disclosed that the Commission had directed its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department to discontinue the use of the existing web-camera arrangement and introduce an application-based camera system for capturing voters' photographs.
Under the proposed arrangement, photographs would be captured directly through the approved application rather than allowing registration personnel to import pictures from external sources or URLs.
He said the measure was intended to prevent the manipulation of photographs and strengthen the authentication process.
The chairman also disclosed that INEC had approved a comprehensive Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance Framework to regulate the responsible deployment and use of AI in its operations.
According to him, the framework was developed through a collaborative process involving the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the British High Commission.
He said the document had undergone peer review and was considered by the Commission, adding that it would strengthen existing guidelines and provide safeguards for the appropriate use of artificial intelligence.
Amupitan further disclosed that security agencies were conducting investigations into individuals suspected of involvement in multiple registration and other electoral offences.
He said INEC would not limit its response to administrative disciplinary measures where evidence established that criminal offences had been committed.
According to him, registration personnel and other individuals found to have deliberately violated electoral laws would be referred to appropriate law enforcement agencies for prosecution.
He added that complaints received through social media were being flagged and investigated against the Commission's registration records to establish their authenticity.
The chairman assured Nigerians that INEC would not conceal any information relating to the irregularities, stressing that the Commission was committed to transparency, fairness and justice.
On calls for early voting arrangements for journalists, electoral officials and other personnel who would be engaged in election duties, Amupitan said the proposal was yet to receive legislative backing.
He explained that INEC had initiated efforts to introduce early voting through the amendment of the Electoral Act but the proposal did not receive the necessary support from the National Assembly.
He said early voting was therefore not currently recognised under Nigeria's electoral laws.
The chairman, however, expressed optimism that continued advocacy could lead to the introduction of the arrangement in the future, noting that it would enable electoral officials and other essential personnel to exercise their voting rights while carrying out election responsibilities.
On the recent Federal High Court judgment relating to the party leadership dispute, the INEC chairman said the Commission had yet to receive an official copy of the judgment and was therefore not in a position to announce its position.
He cautioned against relying on information circulating on social media, recalling an earlier instance when a purported Supreme Court judgment circulated online before the apex court disowned the document.
Amupitan, a lawyer, explained that once a judgment is officially received, it would be examined by the relevant departments, which would advise the Commission on the legal implications and appropriate action.
He said he would personally study the judgment and the processes filed in the matter before the Commission takes a position.
On concerns surrounding the presentation of certificates and compliance with court orders, he said he had not received the relevant court order and would examine its contents before determining the appropriate action.
On the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), Amupitan said the distribution of cards from the first and second phases of the CVR, alongside transferred PVCs, was ongoing at various local government areas across the country.
He disclosed that some PVCs produced under the third and final phase were being delivered and would be dispatched to states from the following week.
He added that from December 1, 2026, the distribution exercise would return to Registration Areas across the country.
The chairman appealed to Nigerians who participated in the third phase of the registration exercise to exercise patience, explaining that the production of the cards was being undertaken outside the country.
Reassuring Nigerians about the integrity of the 2027 general elections, Amupitan said INEC had additional safeguards to prevent multiple accreditation and voting on election day.
He explained that the Commission's Standard Operating Procedures for Presiding Officers, together with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), require voters to be physically present at their designated polling units for biometric authentication.
According to him, the system uses fingerprints or facial recognition to verify voters' identities against the register and records successful accreditation.
He said the process was designed to prevent the same individual from being accredited more than once, while procedures for issuing ballot papers provide additional protection against multiple voting.
The INEC chairman also disclosed that the Commission was reviewing its ICT infrastructure and strengthening cybersecurity measures to guard against possible vulnerabilities ahead of the 2027 elections.
He described the irregularities discovered during the register-cleaning exercise as an early warning that had compelled the Commission to strengthen its preparedness.
Amupitan said INEC remained committed to removing invalid registrations while protecting eligible Nigerians from wrongful exclusion.
He assured Nigerians that the Commission would continue to provide verifiable information on the cleaning exercise while safeguarding personal information and the integrity of ongoing investigations.