The credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general election has come under fresh scrutiny following an admission by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, that names of deceased persons remain on the nation’s voters’ register.
Amupitan disclosed that some individuals who died as far back as 15 years ago are still listed among registered voters, raising concerns over the reliability of the register and its possible impact on the outcome of future elections.
The INEC chairman made the revelation when he received the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and her management team during a visit to INEC headquarters in Abuja.
According to Amupitan, INEC has begun collaboration with NIMC to improve the credibility of the voters’ register and strengthen transparency ahead of the 2027 polls.
He said the commission would leverage NIMC’s data infrastructure to continuously audit and clean the register by removing duplicate, underage and invalid entries.
Amupitan explained that a credible voters’ register would reduce the cost of conducting elections, noting that INEC currently prints election materials based on more than 100 million registered entries, including discrepancies that increase expenses.
He added that the newly enacted NIMC Act 2026 provides a foundation for a more reliable electoral system built around verified identities and improved data management.
The INEC boss said the integration of NIMC’s database, which now covers more than 136 million Nigerians, with INEC’s systems would help ensure continuous verification of voters.
He also disclosed that INEC’s online Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) platform now relies on the National Identification Number (NIN) as a verification measure to prevent identity fraud.
Reacting to the development, stakeholders expressed concerns that the presence of dead persons’ names and possible ghost voters on the register could undermine electoral credibility.
A university lecturer, Dr Samuel Adegboye, said the situation could create opportunities for election manipulation if not addressed.
He urged the INEC chairman to go beyond making statements and ensure that deceased persons’ names are completely removed from the register.
Adegboye also called for the identification and removal of ghost voters, arguing that eliminating such irregularities would reduce electoral malpractice and improve public confidence in elections.
A retired civil servant, Johnson Adewale, said cleaning up the voters’ register would not only strengthen election credibility but also save government resources.
He noted that printing election materials for non-existent voters amounts to waste and creates room for manipulation of election figures.
Similarly, a former councillor in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, Kolade Adegboyega, commended INEC’s partnership with NIMC but urged the commission to ensure that the exercise produces tangible results.
A lawyer and public affairs commentator, Jason Osazuwa, described the continued presence of dead persons on the voters’ register as embarrassing, urging INEC to fulfil its promise of delivering a cleaner and more credible register before the 2027 elections.
The development has intensified calls for stronger electoral reforms, with Nigerians demanding a transparent voters’ register as a key step toward ensuring credible elections in 2027.
Samuel Agada is a writer and media contributor from Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. He is a graduate of Biochemistry from the University of Jos and a former banker with GTBank and FCMB. A prolific writer, songwriter, educator, and Gospel preacher, he is passionate about informing, inspiring, and impacting society through his work.