The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has firmly ruled out any further extension of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, insisting that time is running out to prepare a credible voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC’s Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Wilfred Ifogah, made the position clear during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television on Monday, despite sustained calls from opposition political parties and civil society organisations for the exercise to be extended.
According to him, the commission has already stretched the registration period beyond its original schedule and can no longer afford additional delays.
“So we just have to stop the exercise. So for those who are unable to meet up, well, I’ll say we are sorry; there’s nothing we can do for now,” Ifogah said.
The electoral umpire had earlier granted a two-week extension before the exercise officially ended on Sunday, a move aimed at accommodating more eligible Nigerians seeking to register.
However, Ifogah disclosed that even the additional two weeks had placed enormous pressure on the commission’s preparations for the 2027 polls.
“Even the extension by two weeks we gave is going to put us under pressure as a commission in preparing the register before the election,” he stated.
Explaining the commission’s position, he said INEC requires no fewer than 75 days after the close of registration to clean up the data, process the records and produce a credible national voters’ register.
“From our timetable and activities, we need about 75 days plus to get these registers prepared right from when we stopped the registration,” he added.
INEC’s decision is expected to disappoint thousands of eligible Nigerians who failed to complete their registration before the deadline, as well as opposition parties and advocacy groups that had urged the commission to keep the exercise open to capture more prospective voters.
The commission, however, insists that adhering to its electoral timetable is critical to ensuring a credible and seamless conduct of the 2027 general elections.
