Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately publish the preliminary voters’ register, warning that the alleged failure to make the list available for public inspection could erode confidence in the 2027 general election.
Atiku made the demand in a statement issued on Thursday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, insisting that Nigerians must be allowed to verify their registration details, challenge suspicious entries and correct omissions before the polls.
INEC had announced that the number of registered voters had exceeded 103 million and scheduled a seven-day public scrutiny exercise from October 9 to 15, during which voters were expected to inspect the preliminary register and report irregularities.
However, Atiku alleged that the commission’s online portal did not provide access to the register during the exercise, thereby preventing citizens from exercising their right to verify their details.
“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.
The ADC presidential candidate argued that the alleged failure to publish the register contravened the Electoral Act 2026 and raised concerns about the transparency of the electoral process.
Citing Section 19(1) of the Act, Atiku said the law required INEC to display the voters’ register at registration areas and online. He urged the commission to publish the list by local government area, area council and ward to enable voters to verify their details and report discrepancies.
He also questioned conflicting statements reportedly made by the INEC chairman regarding the timing of the register’s public display.
According to Atiku, the chairman was reported to have said on October 5 that the exercise had already been completed, while the commission subsequently announced October 9 to 15 as the period for public scrutiny.
“Which statement is true? Where was the register published? For seven full days, or for no days at all?” he asked.
Atiku called on INEC to disclose the dates and links associated with the alleged online publication, alongside access records that could clarify when the register was made available to the public.
Beyond the controversy surrounding the voters’ register, he raised concerns about ballot paper authentication, citing 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 originated from a book supplied to the relevant polling unit.
He questioned the mechanisms for verifying the origin of such ballot papers and preventing counterfeit materials from being accepted during the election.
“What evidence will establish that origin? Who will verify it, and how will parties challenge a false claim?” he asked.
Atiku urged INEC to establish enforceable safeguards against counterfeit ballots, while calling on the National Assembly to address any loopholes that could leave the authenticity of ballot papers dependent on an electoral officer’s unsupported assurance.
The statement also alleged that INEC had yet to respond to inquiries about the companies awarded contracts to print sensitive election materials, further fuelling concerns about transparency in the management of the electoral process.
Atiku maintained that the ADC and its presidential candidate had a legitimate interest in obtaining information about the procedures that would determine the credibility of the 2027 presidential election.
He also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration over the controversy, warning that Nigerians could lose confidence in an election if they were denied access to the register used to determine who could vote.
“You cannot hide their names from scrutiny and then ask them to trust the election conducted with that list. Nigerians have the right to inspect the register, challenge false entries and correct omissions. If that right is denied, we will challenge it in the open and through every lawful means available,” the statement read.
The former vice-president further warned that the alleged lack of access could prevent voters from identifying questionable additions, detecting the removal of legitimate names and confirming that their own registration details remained intact.
He demanded that INEC publish the register, explain the conflicting dates surrounding the public scrutiny exercise and provide sufficient opportunity for voters to challenge irregularities and restore omitted names.
Atiku also called on international partners, election observers and democratic institutions to press the commission to comply with the law before election day, stressing that transparency in electoral preparations was essential to public confidence.
“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 afterwards,” he said.
He maintained that the right to vote must be backed by the right to verify registration details and hold electoral authorities accountable.
“The right to vote begins with the right to know that your name is on the list. INEC must stop hiding behind a blank screen. Publish the register. Open it to scrutiny. Answer the country,” Atiku stressed.
