The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed more than 1.6 million records from the national voters’ register after reviewing its 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. The commission also identified 54 personnel across 10 states for their alleged involvement in registration irregularities.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed this on Monday, November 9, 2026, during a press conference at the commission’s headquarters. He spoke during the display and publication of the Preliminary Voters Register.
According to Amupitan, the clean-up confirmed 1,608,660 invalid registrations and 873 records belonging to verified deceased persons. INEC harvested 11,088,238 records from the three phases of the CVR exercise. Its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) initially flagged 1,545,052 records for further investigation. However, Amupitan stressed that a flagged record was not automatically invalid. The system identifies suspicious entries, while authorised officials determine their status after further checks. 
“A flagged record is not necessarily an invalid registration: automated screening identifies matters requiring review, while authorised adjudication determines the outcome,” he said.
Before publishing the preliminary register, INEC had confirmed and removed 1,277,052 invalid registrations. The commission later received claims, objections and complaints during the register’s public display. These submissions led to the review of another 268,000 cases. Officials invalidated and removed 217,722 records, while clearing 50,278 as valid.
A further screening exercise uncovered 113,886 invalid registrations. This brought the total number of confirmed invalid registrations removed to 1,608,660.
READ ALSO: Vote Buying in Nigeria: INEC Threatens Prosecution, Says Ballot Box Snatching Will No Longer Work
54 INEC Personnel Identified Over Registration Irregularities
INEC’s technical assessment examined suspected multiple registrations, unusual registration patterns, substituted photographs and irregular transactions.
Amupitan said the review uncovered cases in which some registration personnel deliberately bypassed established procedures. Some allegedly misused provisions intended to accommodate exceptional registration circumstances, including those involving persons with disabilities.
The commission identified 54 people across 10 states as allegedly complicit. They will face disciplinary measures, including possible prosecution, the chairman said.
INEC has also strengthened its registration controls through improved biometric capture, authentication and verification safeguards.
Complaints Prompted the Clean-Up
The review followed complaints received during the preliminary register’s display at ward level from October 9 to 15, 2026, and its subsequent online publication.
Members of the public raised concerns about manipulated photographs, duplicate registration attempts, unusual names and suspicious registration patterns. They also reported records belonging to deceased persons.
Some complainants alleged that the irregularities were deliberate attempts to compromise the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
INEC said the exercise was intended to ensure that the voters’ register accurately reflects eligible voters. The commission added that removing irregular records would help protect public confidence in the electoral process.
Story written by Aramide Okunboh, edited by Sola Sanusi.
About The Author
