INEC shifts nationwide voter revalidation until after 2027 general election
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has moved the start date of its nationwide voter revalidation exercise, previously slated for April 13, 2026, to after the next general elections.
National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna confirmed the decision on Friday, April 10, following a strategic session with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) where the commission reviewed its current operational priorities.
All field preparations, including the deployment of Voter Enrolment Devices and media publicity, have been ordered to stop immediately as the commission redirects its focus.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced a significant change to its administrative calendar, opting to delay the nationwide voter revalidation process until the conclusion of the 2027 General Election
This move follows a high-level meeting on Friday where the commission’s leadership re-evaluated the timing of the exercise.
According to a statement by Mohammed Haruna, the Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, the decision to push back the revalidation does not diminish its importance, but rather aligns it with a more feasible long-term administrative window.
The exercise was originally intended to clean up the National Register of Voters by identifying duplicate entries, removing ineligible names, and allowing citizens to correct errors in their personal data.
Just days ago, a circular from the Commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, had instructed state-level officials to begin sourcing personnel and prepping enrolment hardware for an April 13 launch.
However, with the new directive, all Resident Electoral Commissioners have been told to “step down” these arrangements and wait for further instructions regarding the next phases of election preparation.
This postponement is likely to spark discussion among political parties and civil society groups who have called for a more transparent and updated voter list before the next major polls.
INEC, however, maintained that it remains dedicated to conducting free and fair elections, suggesting that the integrity of the current database can still support the 2027 cycle.
The commission noted that the revalidation remains a core mandate but cited the need for careful sequencing of its activities as the country approaches a high-stakes political season.
As the 2026 electoral calendar continues to evolve, the focus now shifts to how INEC will manage voter registration updates through its standard Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) channels instead of the comprehensive revalidation drive.
For now, the halt on the revalidation exercise means that the current register, with its existing entries, will serve as the foundation for upcoming off-cycle contests and the general elections.
The commission expressed regret for the late-hour changes, acknowledging the efforts already put in by staff and partners across the federation.
