“INEC will be the end of Nigeria” — Lawyer says as INEC announces revalidation of voters
Concerns are mounting over the proposed nationwide voter revalidation exercise announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as stakeholders question its feasibility ahead of the 2027 general elections.
A Nigerian lawyer, Benkingsley Nwashara, has openly criticised the move, warning that the timeline could pose serious risks to voter participation and the credibility of the electoral process.
Concerns over tight timeline
Reacting to INEC’s circular, Nwashara described the plan as unrealistic and impractical, given the scale of the exercise.
“INEC WILL BE THE END OF NIGERIA
How do you propose to revalidate over 150 million Nigerian voters in less than 10 months to the 2027 general elections?
That timeline is simply unrealistic and impractical.”
He further warned that awareness may remain low among citizens as the exercise progresses.
“By November, it won’t be surprising if millions of eligible voters are still unaware of the exercise,” he stated.
Fear of voter disenfranchisement
Nwashara also raised concerns about the possibility of uneven implementation across regions, which he believes could affect electoral fairness.
“Even more concerning is the possibility that the process could be unevenly implemented — slowed down in regions where the opposition has stronger support — ultimately disenfranchising large numbers of voters.”
He added that the proposal requires deeper scrutiny before implementation.
“A proposal with such far-reaching implications demands serious scrutiny and should be firmly rejected in its current form.”
INEC explains revalidation exercise
In its official communication, INEC said the exercise is part of efforts to ensure a credible voter register.
“NATIONWIDE VOTER REVALIDATION EXERCISE
You will recall that the need for a credible voter register was discussed at the Induction/Strategic Retreat held in Lagos State in January this year. Consequently, the Commission has approved the conduct of the nationwide voter revalidation exercise.”
The commission stated that the process will be conducted both online and physically at designated centres across Local Government Areas (LGA), Registration Areas (RA), and Polling Units (PU).
INEC also disclosed that voter enrolment devices will be deployed nationwide, with personnel drawn from its staff and members of the National Youth Service Corps.
Preparations underway amid scrutiny
According to the commission, preparations have already been directed to commence, including sourcing personnel and readying equipment for the exercise.
