The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced a forthcoming nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise aimed at cleaning up the national register ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Commission’s Chairman, Joash Amupitan, revealed this during a high-level consultative meeting with media executives yesterday.
The exercise is designed to eliminate persistent “ghost” entries, including those of deceased persons, underage voters, and duplicate registrations that have previously plagued the system.
While eyes are on 2027, the Commission is simultaneously locked in on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, set for February 21, 2026.
Amupitan confirmed that preparations are in the “advanced stage,” with non-sensitive materials already batched across the six Area Councils.
Key milestones for the FCT polls include a mock accreditation exercise scheduled for February 7, 2026, during which the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be field-tested across 289 selected polling units.
In terms of media and observer participation, the commission has cleared 83 domestic observer groups and five foreign observer missions, while journalists have until February 8 to complete their online accreditation.
On the technology front, BVAS devices are currently being configured to handle both voter verification and the real-time upload of election results to the IReV portal.
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Addressing the media for the first time since his assumption of office, the INEC Chairman underscored a shift in the modern political landscape, noting that elections are no longer won or lost solely at the ballot box.
“Elections are now contested not only at polling units but also within the information space,” Amupitan cautioned.
He urged the press to act as a bulwark against misinformation, disinformation, and foreign manipulation, which he identified as significant threats to national stability.
He stressed that the media should rely exclusively on INEC’s official platforms to prevent the spread of “fake news” that could incite unrest.
Responding to the Commission’s briefing, the President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Abdullahi, noted the growing public “anxiety” regarding the official release of the 2027 General Election timetable.
While reaffirming the media’s support, Abdullahi emphasised three key areas.
He called for capacity building, advocating for specialised training to help journalists navigate the complexities of the new Electoral Act.
He also stressed the importance of collaborative reporting, urging the NUJ to develop new training modules to enhance the quality of election coverage.
Abdullahi highlighted the need to prioritise the national interest, urging reporters to place national security above sensationalism.
As the FCT elections approach in just over two weeks, the Commission’s twin focus on immediate logistics and long-term register “sanitisation” signals an aggressive start to the 2027 electoral cycle.
