Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of failing to provide Nigerians with effective public access to the voters’ register, warning that the alleged lack of transparency could undermine confidence in the 2027 general elections.
Atiku, who is associated with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), called on the electoral commission to make the register accessible for public scrutiny and allow eligible voters to verify their details, challenge questionable entries and recover names wrongly omitted.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communications of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council.
Atiku said INEC had announced that Nigeria had more than 103 million registered voters, but alleged that members of the public who attempted to inspect the register through the commission’s online portal encountered a blank page.
He argued that publishing the total number of registered voters was insufficient without providing access to the individual records behind the figure.
“A figure cannot answer an objection. A press announcement cannot tell a voter whether her name has been omitted. Show Nigerians the register,” Atiku said in the statement.
Atiku also questioned the timing of the exercise, citing reports that INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, had indicated on October 5 that the public display had already been completed, while the commission subsequently announced October 9 to 15 for the exercise. He demanded clarification of the dates and evidence of when and where the register was made available.
INEC Defends the Process
However, INEC has disputed the suggestion that the exercise was entirely abandoned. According to a report by Premium Times, the commission’s spokesperson, Mohammed Haruna, said the register was displayed at registration areas between October 9 and 15.
Haruna said INEC was compiling claims and objections received during the exercise to produce a clean register for publication by December 15, 2026.
The explanation has not resolved concerns about online access. Media reports indicated that the commission’s website continued to display a message stating that no preliminary register was available, even after the scheduled inspection period had ended.
What the Electoral Act Says
Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 requires INEC to make the voters’ register for each local government area, area council or ward available for public scrutiny at registration areas and on its official website or another designated website.
Section 19(2) provides for the commission to receive and consider complaints, objections and requests for corrections within 14 days after the register is displayed.
The law allows objections to the inclusion of ineligible voters and claims by registered voters whose names have been omitted. It also prescribes penalties for officials who fail to display or publish the register as required.
The controversy therefore centres not only on the total number of registered voters but also on whether Nigerians were given the legally required opportunity to scrutinise the preliminary register through the prescribed channels.
Atiku Calls for International Pressure
Beyond demanding access to the register, Atiku urged international partners, election observers and democratic institutions to press INEC to comply with the law.
He maintained that transparency must be established before election day rather than left until after voting, when disputes over the credibility of the results may become more difficult to resolve.
The former vice president also raised questions about safeguards for authenticating ballot papers and called for clear procedures to prevent electoral fraud and enable political parties to challenge questionable ballots.
He warned that denying voters access to the register while asking them to trust the eventual election results could deepen public suspicion of the electoral process.
2027 Election Credibility at Stake
The dispute comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.
INEC’s handling of voter registration, the accuracy of the electoral roll and compliance with statutory requirements are likely to remain major issues in the run-up to the polls.
The commission faces growing pressure to clarify the circumstances surrounding the online publication of the preliminary register and explain how voters’ concerns will be addressed before the final register is issued.
For Atiku and other political stakeholders, the central demand is that Nigerians must be able to verify their registration details and challenge errors before voting begins.
The key outstanding question is whether INEC’s physical display of the register satisfied the requirements of the Electoral Act while its online portal remained inaccessible during the reported inspection period.
The commission’s explanation and the availability of verifiable records of compliance will be important in resolving the controversy.
