The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the postponement of its proposed nationwide voter revalidation exercise until after the 2027 general elections.
The Commission disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by the INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.
INEC said the decision was reached during a meeting on Friday, April 10, 2026, between the Commission and its Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), in which key electoral matters, including the timing of the revalidation exercise, were reviewed.
According to the Commission, the voter revalidation exercise remains a critical component of its constitutional mandate to ensure an accurate and up-to-date National Register of Voters.
It added that the process is designed to verify and review existing voter records, correct inaccuracies in personal data, and eliminate duplicate or ineligible entries from the register.
“The exercise also aims to provide an opportunity for registered voters to confirm their details and make necessary corrections where required,” INEC stated.
The Commission’s statement, however, did not give any reason for the postponement of the exercise until after the elections, even after emphasizing how crucial it is to the sanctity of the polls.
Opposition parties had faulted the decision on the grounds that many voters will be disenfranchised as there was not enough time to conclude the process before the 2027 general elections.
Despite the postponement, INEC reaffirmed its commitment to conducting free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections across the country.
In February this year, INEC revised the timetable for the 2027 General Elections, fixing the presidential and National Assembly polls for Saturday, January 16, 2027.
This came about two weeks after the electoral umpire had earlier set dates for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.
INEC said the revision followed the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026, which updated timelines for pre-election activities.
The presidential and National Assembly elections, previously set for February 20, 2027, will now hold on January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections move from March 6 to February 6, 2027.
Earlier this year, INEC had informed the National Assembly that it requires N873.78 billion to conduct the 2027 general elections, along with N171 billion to fund its operations in 2026.
The proposed N873.78 billion represents a significant increase from the N313.4 billion released for the 2023 elections.
The budget highlights the scale and financial demands of conducting nationwide elections under the revised timetable and the new legal framework.
Amid concerns over the real-time transmission of election results and the Senate’s recent approval of a combination of electronic and manual transmission of results, particularly in areas with network challenges, the Commission pledged expanded deployment of technology to enhance transparency of the elections.
