- The ADC has warned that INEC’s proposed voter revalidation exercise could disenfranchise millions ahead of the 2027 elections
- The party questions the timing, noting it comes less than ten months before the polls.
- ADC urged INEC to drop the plan and uphold transparency and inclusiveness emphasising that Nigerians’ voting rights must not be threatened by last-minute policies
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised alarm over a reported plan by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a nationwide voter revalidation exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that it could disenfranchise millions of Nigerians.
The party expressed concern that the timing of the proposed exercise, less than ten months before the elections, could undermine access to voting, weaken public confidence, and compromise the credibility of the electoral process.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC called on INEC to clarify whether a leaked internal memo suggesting the plan is authentic and reflects the Commission’s official position.
According to the party, it has received numerous reports regarding the memo and believes Nigerians deserve immediate clarification.
“We call on INEC to immediately confirm to Nigerians whether this memo is genuine, and whether it indeed reflects an official plan of the Commission.
“If true, this development raises serious concerns and must be rejected outright as a recipe for chaos.
“It is already difficult enough to get citizens to register to vote in the first place. To now require them to return and ‘revalidate’ their registration is, in effect, to ask them not to bother at all.
“INEC must clearly explain what happens to Nigerians who, for valid reasons, are unable to travel for this exercise. Are they to lose their right to vote simply because they cannot make it back to designated centres within a narrow window?
“At a time when voter apathy is already a major challenge, any policy that adds new barriers to participation will only suppress turnout further.
“In this case, the only obvious beneficiary of such confusion is the ruling party.
“For an exercise of this magnitude, Nigerians deserve transparency, not ambiguity. If any voter revalidation was ever required, it should have been conducted immediately after the last election, not on the eve of another,” the party said.
The ADC urged INEC to abandon the reported plan and reassure Nigerians of its commitment to conducting a free, fair, and inclusive electoral process.
“Nigeria’s democracy cannot afford avoidable disruptions. The right to vote must not be subjected to last-minute administrative experiments,” the party added.