Post by Ibadan Watch (@Ibadanwatch)
2027 Elections: INEC Faces Fresh Scrutiny Over Voter Register After Dead Names Revelation.
The credibility of Nigeria's voter register has come under renewed scrutiny ahead of the 2027 general elections after the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed that the names of people who died as far back as 15 years ago are still on the commission's register.
Speaking during a meeting with the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye Coker-Odusote, in Abuja, Amupitan said INEC has begun collaborating with NIMC to clean up the voters' register using verified identity data.
According to him, the exercise is aimed at eliminating deceased, duplicate and underage voters while strengthening the integrity of the electoral process. He noted that a more accurate register would also reduce the cost of elections, as INEC currently prints electoral materials for more than 100 million registered voters to account for discrepancies.
Amupitan said the recently enacted NIMC Act 2026 provides a stronger legal framework for identity verification, adding that the commission's online voter registration system is now anchored on the National Identification Number (NIN). He expressed confidence that NIMC's database of over 136 million enrolled Nigerians would enable continuous auditing & verification of the voter register.
The disclosure has sparked renewed debate about the credibility of future elections, with analysts warning that retaining the names of deceased persons on the register could create opportunities for electoral manipulation.
Political analyst & university lecturer, Dr. Samuel Adegboye, said the presence of dead voters could make it easier to inflate election results if corrupt officials collude with politicians. While commending the INEC chair for acknowledging the problem, he urged the commission to go beyond rhetoric by removing both deceased & "ghost" voters from the register before the 2027 polls.
Retired civil servant Johnson Adewale also welcomed the proposed clean-up, arguing that it would reduce wasteful spending on ballot papers & other election materials while improving the credibility of election outcomes.
Similarly, former local govt councillor Kolade Adegboyega described the collaboration btw INEC & NIMC as a positive step but urged the electoral commission to ensure the exercise produces tangible results rather than promises.
Public affairs commentator Jason Osazuwa also criticised the situation, describing it as evidence of longstanding weaknesses in Nigeria's data management system. He called on INEC to fully implement the planned reforms to guarantee transparent and credible elections.
As preparations for the 2027 general elections gather pace, the proposed partnership btw INEC & NIMC is expected to play a key role in restoring public confidence in the electoral process by ensuring a more accurate & reliable national voter register.
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