INEC In Fresh Scandal Over Electoral Act
OpenLife News reports that confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) ability to deliver a credible 2027 general election is fast eroding after the commission openly violated the Electoral Act 2026 by failing to publish the voters’ register online.
The development has heightened anxiety in the political space, with stakeholders, legal experts and ordinary Nigerians questioning INEC’s commitment to transparency barely three months to the polls.
INEC misses 90-day deadline
Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 is clear: INEC must, not later than 90 days to a general election, display the voters’ register for seven days both at registration areas and on its official website for public scrutiny.
The law reads: “the commission shall, not later than 90 days to a general election, appoint a period of seven days during which a copy of the voters’ register for each Local Government, Area Council or ward shall be displayed or published for public scrutiny at every registration area and on its official website…”
With the presidential and National Assembly elections fixed for January 16, 2027, and governorship elections for February 6, 2027, the deadline for appointing the seven-day display elapsed on Sunday, October 18.
INEC complied only in part. It displayed the register physically in Registration Areas (RAs) nationwide between October 9 and 15, but failed to publish it on its website.
As of Friday, October 23, checks by OpenLife showed INEC’s online portal for preliminary registers still displayed the message: “There are currently no preliminary registers to display. Please check back later.”
INEC defends breach
When contacted, INEC’s spokesperson, Mohammed Haruna, claimed the commission had published the register.“We published the voter register for claims and objections at our registration areas between October 9 & 15,” he said.
“Right now we are in the process of receiving and compiling the claims & objections to have a clean copy for publication by the 2026 Electoral Act deadline of December 15.”
But legal experts say the defence does not hold water, as the Act mandates dual publication – physical and online.
“It’s clearly a breach,” said Lagos-based legal practitioner, Mujeeb Abdulwasiu. “Not only that they are required to publish for public scrutiny, such publication is time-bound within 90 days to the general election, and they are required to publish online and in each local government,” he clarified.
Section 19(5) of the Act prescribes that an INEC official who fails to display or publish the register as required commits an offence punishable by six months imprisonment or a N100,000 fine or both.
Anxiety, anger in political space
The failure is significant because the preliminary display allows voters to check for omissions, errors, or inclusion of unqualified persons including deceased voters before the final register is compiled.
Under Section 19, INEC must accept claims and objections within 14 days after display.
The breach has triggered outrage on social media.“INEC has disregarded the Electoral Act by failing to publish the voters’ register online for public scrutiny, even after the statutory 90-day deadline has passed,” user @mundus01 wrote.
Another user, @MallamJabeer, added: “This is not something to ignore. Nigerians deserve transparency, accountability and a credible electoral process.”
For many in the political space, the violation, coming months to a high-stakes general election, has reinforced fears of a flawed process and further eroded trust in the electoral body that has repeatedly promised to deliver the most credible election in 2027.
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