RismadarVoice Reporters
November 10, 2026
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the removal of more than 1.6 million voter records following a nationwide review of irregularities uncovered in the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, disclosed the development during a press conference in Abuja on Monday, November 9.
According to him, the commission removed 1,608,660 invalid registrations and 873 records belonging to verified deceased persons ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He explained that the review followed complaints about duplicate registrations, manipulated photographs, unusual names and suspected fraudulent entries in the preliminary voters’ register displayed between October 9 and 15.
Amupitan said INEC processed 11,088,238 registration records, of which 1,545,052 were initially flagged by its Automated Biometric Identification System for further examination.
Before publication of the preliminary register, 1,277,052 registrations had already been confirmed invalid.
Following public objections, another 268,000 records underwent examination, resulting in the removal of 217,722 invalid registrations, while 50,278 were retained.
Additional screening identified 113,886 further invalid entries.
The chairman also revealed that 54 registration personnel across 10 states had been identified for investigation over alleged manipulation of registration procedures.
He said disciplinary action, including possible prosecution, would follow where misconduct was established.
According to Amupitan, investigations uncovered instances where registration personnel allegedly bypassed established procedures and misused provisions intended for exceptional registration circumstances, including those involving persons with disabilities.
He acknowledged that irregularities in historical voter records captured between 2011 and 2023 remained a separate challenge.
INEC has consequently directed further verification of suspicious historical entries before their removal.
The commission also clarified that some voters complaining about missing names had registered again instead of transferring their existing registrations to new locations.
Such voters were advised to check their previous registration locations.
Amupitan announced that the final register was scheduled for publication on December 15, 2026.
He added that Permanent Voter Card distribution was continuing, with distribution expected to return to registration areas nationwide from December 1.
The chairman assured eligible voters that INEC would strengthen biometric verification and safeguard against wrongful exclusion.
He also emphasised that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System would provide additional safeguards against multiple accreditation during elections.
INEC maintained that its review was intended to improve the accuracy and credibility of the register ahead of the 2027 polls.
