INEC violates Electoral Act, fails to publish voter register 90 days before election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to publish the preliminary voters’ register on its web site by the 90-day deadline before the 2027 basic election, regardless of a authorized requirement for the register to be made accessible on-line for public scrutiny.

Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 requires INEC to make copies of the voters’ register accessible for public scrutiny on its web site in addition to at each registration space for seven days before 90 days to the overall election.

“Subject to the provisions of section 9 (6) of this Act, the commission shall, not later than 90 days to a general election, appoint a period of seven days during which a copy of the voters’ register for each Local Government, Area Council or ward shall be displayed or published for public scrutiny at every registration area and on its official website or any website established by the commission for that purpose,” the section reads.

Display of voter register

Since the 2027 basic elections are scheduled to start on 16 January 2027, with the presidential and National Assembly elections, the deadline for INEC to appoint the seven days for displaying the voters’ register was 18 October. The governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for six February 2027, in accordance to INEC’s timetable.

Between 9 and 15 October, INEC carried out a nationwide show of voter registers at Registration Areas (RAs) throughout the nation to permit voters to test their particulars and establish errors.

However, the fee didn’t publish them on its web site or every other web site, as mandated by the Electoral Act.

The on-line portal for the preliminary register nonetheless displayed a message stating “There are currently no preliminary registers to display. Please check back later,” up till 18 October, FIJ reported. PREMIUM TIMES visited the web site on Wednesday, 21 October, and the show remained the identical.

INEC Spokesperson Mohammed Haruna mentioned the fee revealed the voter register and is working towards a clear copy for publication forward of 15 December.

“We published the voter register for claims and objections at our registration areas between October 9 & 15,” he instructed PREMIUM TIMES.

“Right now we are in the process of receiving and compiling the claims & objections to have a clean copy for publication by the 2026 Electoral Act deadline of December 15.”

This newspaper identified that as well as to the bodily publication, the sector mandated a publication on its web site. He has but to reply to our subsequent request for clarification.

“It’s clearly a breach,” mentioned a Lagos-based authorized practitioner, Mujeeb Abdulwasiu.

Mr Abdulwasiu mentioned part 19 of the legislation requires INEC to publish each bodily and on-line.

He mentioned the electoral fee has already missed the 90-day deadline.

“Not only that they are required to publish for public scrutiny, such publication is time bound,” he added.

“So two things, it is time-bound within 90 days to the general election, and not only that they are required to publish online, but they are also required to publish in each of the local governments.”

The Electoral Act additionally prescribes a penalty for failure to show or publish the register as required.

Section 19(5) states that an INEC official who fails to show or publish the register in accordance with the legislation commits an offence punishable with imprisonment for up to six months or a effective of N100,000 or each.

The preliminary voters’ register permits residents to test whether or not their names and particulars have been appropriately recorded before the register is finalised. The course of is designed to assist establish errors before they have an effect on a voter’s potential to take part in an election.

(*90*) Section 19, INEC is required to settle for and think about objections and complaints regarding omitted or included names and vital corrections inside 14 days following the show or publication of the register in accordance with the part.

The part additionally permits objections to the inclusion of unqualified individuals, together with deceased individuals, and claims by registered voters whose names have been omitted.

Nigerian berate fee

Nigerians have taken to social media to berate the fee for the violation and are calling for accountability.

“INEC has disregarded the Electoral Act by failing to publish the voters’ register online for public scrutiny, even after the statutory 90-day deadline has passed,” one social media consumer, @mundus01, wrote.

Another Nigerian, @MallamJabeer, mentioned the fee’s failure to publish the register on-line raises severe considerations.

“This is not something to ignore,” he wrote. “Nigerians deserve transparency, accountability and a credible electoral process.”