The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed its Nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise until after the 2027 General Election, stepping back from a plan that had drawn widespread criticism from political parties, civil society organisations, and the public.

The commission announced the decision on Friday, April 10, following a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), saying the exercise would be rescheduled to a period after the general election.

INEC said the exercise was aimed at verifying and reviewing existing voter records, ensuring the accuracy of personal data, eliminating duplicate and ineligible entries, and strengthening the overall integrity of the voter register.

INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC)
PRESS STATEMENT

POSTPONEMENT OF NATIONWIDE VOTER REVALIDATION EXERCISE

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) held a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) today, Friday, 10th April 2026, during… pic.twitter.com/64bdWkWaGq

— INEC Nigeria (@inecnigeria) April 10, 2026

The announcement marks a formal end to weeks of uncertainty surrounding an exercise that was initially slated to begin on April 13, 2026. INEC had planned to conduct the revalidation across 774 local government offices, 8,809 registration areas, and 176,846 polling units nationwide, targeting all voters who registered between 2011 and 2024 — a register that stood at over 93 million voters as of the 2023 general election.

The commission had, however, already signalled retreat before Friday’s announcement. In a letter dated April 4 and signed by Commission Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony, INEC directed all RECs to step down all publicity and arrangements for the exercise and await further directives — a quiet suspension that preceded the formal postponement.

The exercise had seen broad opposition across the political spectrum. The Inter-Party Advisory Council warned the timing risked disenfranchising millions of eligible voters. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) described the plan as a potential recipe for chaos, arguing that requiring already registered voters to revalidate their details less than ten months to the polls would suppress turnout and deepen voter apathy. Yiaga Africa’s Executive Director, Samson Itodo, acknowledged the register needed cleaning but called the exercise a good policy at the wrong time.

In its postponement statement, INEC said the exercise remains a critical component of its mandate to maintain a credible voter register, designed to verify records, eliminate duplicate and ineligible entries, and strengthen overall register integrity.

The commission added that it remains committed to the conduct of free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections.