Precious Nwonu, Enugu

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the preliminary voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general election, warning that failure to make the list accessible could erode public confidence in the electoral process.

Atiku made the demand in a statement issued on Thursday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council.

He said voters should be allowed to inspect the register, challenge questionable entries and correct omissions before the election.

INEC had announced that the preliminary register, containing more than 103 million registered voters, would be available for public scrutiny from October 9 to 15. The exercise was intended to enable voters to report false entries and missing names.

However, Atiku alleged that the register was not accessible on the commission’s online portal during the period.

“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,” he said.

The former vice-president argued that the alleged failure to publish the list violated Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which he cited as requiring the register to be displayed at registration areas and online.

He called on INEC to release the register by local government, area council and ward, while providing voters with a full opportunity to identify and correct errors.

Atiku also questioned what he described as conflicting statements from the commission’s chairman concerning the timing of the public display.

He said the chairman reportedly stated on October 5 that the exercise had already been completed, while INEC 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 further requested that INEC disclose the dates, links and access records relating to the reported online publication of the register.

Beyond the voters’ list, he raised concerns about the authentication of ballot papers, citing Section 63(2) of the Electoral Act 2026. The provision, as referenced in his statement, allows a returning officer to count a ballot paper without the commission’s official mark if satisfied that it came from a book supplied to the polling unit.

He questioned how such a determination would be verified and challenged, urging INEC to establish safeguards against counterfeit ballot papers.

“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,” he said.

The statement also alleged that INEC had not responded to inquiries about companies awarded contracts to print sensitive election materials.

Atiku maintained that the ADC and its presidential candidate were entitled to information about the procedures and safeguards that would determine the credibility of the 2027 presidential election.

He accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of expecting Nigerians to trust an electoral process without adequate access to the voters’ register.

The former vice-president warned that preventing voters from examining the list could make it difficult to determine whether names had been improperly added or removed.

He called on international partners, election observers and democratic institutions to urge INEC to make the register available before election day.

“Transparency before the vote is as essential as scrutiny of the results afterwards,” Atiku said, insisting that voters must be able to confirm their registration details and challenge irregularities.

He urged the commission to publish the register, clarify the dates of the public display and provide answers to concerns about ballot-paper authentication.