By staff Reporter Rukevwe Odeh

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed 1,609,553 invalid records from the national voters’ register following a nationwide verification exercise aimed at strengthening the credibility of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The commission also disclosed that 54 personnel across 10 states had been identified for alleged involvement in registration irregularities, warning that those found culpable would face disciplinary measures, including possible prosecution.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists in Abuja on the outcome of the review of the Preliminary Register of Voters.

According to him, the deleted records comprised 1,608,660 confirmed invalid registrations and 873 records belonging to verified deceased voters.

Amupitan explained that the irregularities were uncovered through a comprehensive screening exercise involving the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), which initially flagged 1,545,052 records for further examination.

He said 1,277,052 registrations were confirmed invalid and removed before the publication of the preliminary voters’ register.

Following complaints, claims and objections received during the seven-day public display exercise between October 9 and 15, another 268,000 records underwent further verification. Of these, 217,722 were declared invalid, while 50,278 were confirmed valid and retained.

The chairman added that subsequent screening identified an additional 113,886 invalid registrations, bringing the total number of invalid records removed to 1,608,660.

He attributed some of the irregularities to deliberate attempts by individuals to circumvent established registration procedures, including the alleged misuse of provisions designed to accommodate persons with disabilities.

Amupitan said the commission had identified 54 persons across 10 states allegedly connected to the infractions and would take appropriate disciplinary action, including possible criminal prosecution.

He also acknowledged that some of the irregularities dated back to previous voter registration exercises between 2011 and 2023, stressing that the commission was determined to address historical weaknesses in the national register.

On concerns about manipulated and artificial intelligence-generated photographs, the INEC chairman said additional safeguards had been introduced to prevent further abuse of the registration system.

He disclosed that the commission had directed its ICT department to discontinue external webcam-based image uploads for voter registration, insisting that photographs must henceforth be captured through an approved application.

Amupitan further assured Nigerians that existing electoral safeguards, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), would help prevent multiple accreditation and voting during the 2027 elections.

He said INEC was currently undertaking final reconciliation and quality assurance ahead of the publication of the final national voters’ register, scheduled for December 15, 2026.

The chairman maintained that the commission remained committed to protecting eligible voters from wrongful exclusion while ensuring that invalid records were removed to strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.