By Stephen Simon
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified that the preliminary voters’ register has been displayed at ward level but is yet to be uploaded to its official website, amid concerns over public access to the document ahead of the 2027 general election.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Sunday.
“The voter register has been published, but in the wards. It just wasn’t published on our website,” Haruna said.
The clarification follows criticism over the commission’s failure to make the register available online during the scheduled display period of October 9 to 15, 2026.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar had called on INEC to immediately publish the register, warning that its unavailability online could weaken public confidence in the electoral process.
Atiku argued that Nigerians needed access to the document to verify their details, identify omissions and challenge questionable entries.
“While INEC announced more than 103 million registered voters, Nigerians went to its portal to inspect the names and found an empty page. That is an outrage,” he said, urging the commission to make the register accessible..
The controversy has raised questions about compliance with Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires INEC to make copies of the voters’ register available for public scrutiny at registration areas and on its official website for seven days within the period prescribed by law.
The provision is intended to enable registered voters to confirm their details and allow the public to identify omissions or questionable entries before the register is finalised.
With the 2027 general election approaching, the online accessibility of the register remains a major issue in discussions about electoral transparency, voter participation and public confidence in the electoral process.
