RismadarVoice Reporters
November 13, 2026
Nigerian protesters in London have confronted the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, demanding his resignation over alleged irregularities in the voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The incident occurred on Thursday, November 12, outside Chatham House, where Amupitan participated in discussions on Nigeria’s electoral preparations.
A video circulating online showed demonstrators surrounding a vehicle believed to be conveying the INEC chairman, chanting slogans and accusing the commission of compromising electoral integrity.
The protesters alleged that the preliminary voters’ register contained multiple registrations, manipulated photographs and questionable voter records.
They also accused the electoral body of favouring President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, although no independent evidence establishing political favouritism was presented.
The demonstration followed nationwide concerns about suspicious entries identified in the preliminary register published ahead of the elections.
On November 9, Amupitan announced that INEC had removed 1,608,660 invalid registrations following a review of the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
The commission also removed 873 records belonging to verified deceased persons, bringing the combined total to 1,609,553.
Amupitan disclosed that 54 individuals across 10 states had been identified for alleged registration irregularities and could face disciplinary action or prosecution.
He explained that the infractions included suspected multiple registrations, manipulated photographs and breaches of established registration procedures.
However, INEC maintained that some questionable records circulating online originated from registration exercises conducted between 2011 and 2023.
The commission said additional verification measures were being introduced to strengthen the accuracy and credibility of the voters’ register.
During his Chatham House engagement, Amupitan also addressed concerns about the independence of the electoral commission and its responsibility to comply with judicial decisions.
He maintained that INEC would respect binding court rulings, regardless of their political implications.
The controversy has intensified public scrutiny of the commission as preparations continue for the 2027 elections.
While the protesters demanded Amupitan’s resignation, INEC has maintained that its ongoing verification and administrative processes are intended to address identified irregularities.
The commission is expected to publish the final voters’ register on December 15, 2026, following reconciliation and quality assurance checks.
