Preparations for the proposed voter revalidation exercise have been put on hold following a fresh directive from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Commission instructed all Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to suspend ongoing publicity campaigns and halt arrangements for the exercise nationwide.
The directive comes amid growing concerns from stakeholders, including political analysts and opposition groups, over the proposed exercise.
In a letter dated April 4, 2026, and signed by the Commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, RECs were directed to stop all related activities and await further instructions from the national headquarters. The Commission also confirmed that its scheduled meeting with RECs on April 9 at 11 a.m. will now be held virtually via Zoom.
INEC had earlier announced plans for a nationwide voter revalidation exercise aimed at cleaning up the voter register by removing ineligible entries and improving its accuracy ahead of future elections.
The Commission insists the exercise is designed to strengthen the credibility of the electoral process, not to limit voter participation.
The Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the initiative is focused on improving the quality of the voter register, stressing that it is intended to produce a more credible and reliable database of voters.
