Obi urges INEC to extend voter registration ahead of 2027 polls

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The presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to extend the ongoing voter registration to the latest practical date before the 2027 general elections, saying the move would ensure that more eligible Nigerians are not excluded from the electoral process.

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In a statement issued on Thursday, Obi said the extension was necessary because “every day, more young Nigerians attain the age of 18 and become constitutionally eligible to vote.”

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“They are not just our future; they are stakeholders in our present. It would be unfortunate if many of them were denied the opportunity to exercise their civic responsibility simply because the registration process closed long before the elections,” he said.

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Obi argued that his position was supported by a Federal High Court judgment delivered on November 22, 2022, in Anaja Salmat & 3 Others v. INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/2022), which, according to him, held that voter registration should continue until 90 days before a general election “to protect the constitutional voting rights of eligible Nigerians.”

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“As we continue to encourage Nigerians to participate actively in our democracy, I respectfully appeal to INEC to consider extending the voter registration window to the latest practical date that still allows adequate time for the preparation of a credible voters’ register before the 2027 general elections,” Obi said.

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He acknowledged “the enormous responsibility placed on INEC to deliver free, fair, and credible elections” and said he also recognised the need for “sufficient time to clean the register and make the necessary logistical preparations.”

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“However, our electoral process should, as much as possible, maximise participation rather than limit it. A democracy is strengthened when every eligible citizen has the opportunity to be heard,” he added.

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Obi urged the commission to “adopt a registration timeline that protects the integrity of the process while ensuring that no eligible Nigerian, especially our young people, is unnecessarily disenfranchised.”

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