Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has announced the suspension of its planned nationwide voter revalidation exercise, directing officials across the country to immediately halt all related publicity and logistical arrangements.
The directive, issued through a formal communication dated April 4, 2026, and signed by the Commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, instructs all Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to “step down all publicity and arrangements” for the exercise pending further instructions.
The voter revalidation programme was initially scheduled to commence on April 13, 2026, as part of INEC’s broader efforts to update and sanitise Nigeria’s voter register ahead of the 2027 general elections. The exercise was designed to identify and remove ineligible entries, including deceased persons, underage registrants, non-Nigerians, and cases of multiple registrations, thereby strengthening the credibility of the electoral roll.
Despite the suspension, INEC directed RECs to continue internal preparations, including sourcing personnel and readying voter enrolment technologies such as the INEC Voter Enrolment Devices (IVED) and related infrastructure.
The Commission also announced a change in its scheduled engagement with RECs, converting an earlier planned physical meeting on April 9 into a virtual session. Commissioners have been advised to remain in their respective states and await further communication regarding the meeting.
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The abrupt decision follows mounting concerns and criticisms from stakeholders, including civil society groups and religious leaders, who warned that the revalidation exercise, if hastily implemented, could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters. Concerns have also been raised about procedural gaps, timing, and the feasibility of conducting such an exercise within the proposed timeframe.
While INEC has not provided a definitive timeline for the resumption of the exercise, it expressed regret over any inconvenience caused and assured stakeholders that further directives would be communicated in due course.
The development introduces a new layer of uncertainty into Nigeria’s electoral preparations, even as the Commission maintains that the revalidation initiative remains central to ensuring a more credible and transparent voter register ahead of future elections.
