By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA — Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has raised the alarm over the alleged failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to publish the preliminary voters’ register for public scrutiny, warning that the lapse could undermine confidence in the 2027 general election.
Atiku said Nigerians could not verify the commission’s claim that more than 103 million voters had been registered when the register was reportedly unavailable on its online portal during the October 9 to 15 inspection period.
In a statement on Thursday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku demanded the immediate publication of the register, questioning conflicting accounts of when it was displayed and raising concerns about safeguards against electoral fraud.
“INEC has announced more than 103 million registered voters. Nigerians went to its portal to inspect the names and found an empty page. That is an outrage. A figure cannot answer an objection. A press announcement cannot tell a voter whether her name has been omitted. Show Nigerians the register,” he said.
Atiku also questioned reports that INEC’s chairman had said on October 5 that the public display had already been completed, despite the commission’s subsequent announcement of an October 9 to 15 inspection period.
“Which statement is true? Where was the register published? For seven full days, or for no days at all? INEC must produce the dates, the links and the records of access,” he demanded.
The former vice president further raised concerns over Section 63(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which permits a returning officer to count a ballot paper without INEC’s official mark if satisfied that it came from a book supplied to the polling unit.
He argued that the provision required enforceable safeguards to establish the origin of such ballot papers and prevent counterfeit votes.
“Nigerians cannot be denied access to the voters’ register before election day and then be asked to accept unmarked ballot papers after voting. INEC must set out enforceable safeguards against counterfeit ballots, and the National Assembly must close any loophole that leaves the authenticity of a vote to an officer’s unsupported assurance,” Atiku said.
The ADC campaign council also faulted INEC for failing to respond to inquiries about the identities of companies awarded contracts to print sensitive election materials, raising a separate question about transparency in the handling of critical electoral materials.
Taking the dispute directly to President Bola Tinubu, Atiku linked the controversy to the economic hardship and insecurity facing Nigerians, warning against asking voters to trust an election process they could not scrutinise.
“You will not add an unseen voters’ register to their suffering and call it a route to another four years in office,” he said.
Atiku warned that denying voters access to the register would leave them unable to establish who had been added, whose name had been removed or whether their own details remained intact. He said the ADC would challenge any denial of voters’ rights through lawful means.
He called on INEC to publish the register by local government, area council and ward, explain the conflicting dates and give voters the opportunity to challenge false entries and correct omissions.
The former vice president also urged Nigeria’s international partners, election observers and democratic institutions to press the commission to comply with the law before election day.
“Do not wait until election day to ask whether this contest is credible. Demand access to the voters’ register now. Ask how every ballot paper will be authenticated. Transparency before the vote is as essential as scrutiny of the results afterward,” he said.
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