2027 Elections Under Spotlight as INEC Moves to Purge Dead Voters from Register, Partners NIMC for Credible Polls

As political activities gradually gather momentum ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, the credibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) voters’ register has come under renewed public scrutiny following a startling revelation that the register still contains the names of people who died many years ago.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed that the electoral commission’s register still includes names of deceased Nigerians, some of whom reportedly died as far back as 15 years ago. The disclosure has intensified concerns over the integrity of the country’s electoral process, with many Nigerians warning that an inaccurate register could undermine public confidence in the 2027 elections and create opportunities for electoral malpractice.
The INEC Chairman made the revelation while receiving the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and her management team during a courtesy visit in Abuja.
INEC, NIMC Deepen Partnership to Clean Up Voter Register
Prof. Amupitan announced that INEC and NIMC have strengthened their collaboration to sanitize Nigeria’s voter register by leveraging the National Identity Number (NIN) database for identity verification and continuous auditing of voter records.
According to him, the initiative is expected to eliminate deceased voters, duplicate registrations, underage registrants, and other irregularities that have long affected the integrity of the electoral database.
He explained that maintaining an accurate voter register would also significantly reduce the cost of conducting elections, as INEC currently prints electoral materials based on more than 100 million registered voters, many of whom may no longer be eligible.
The INEC Chairman further noted that the newly enacted NIMC Act 2026 provides a stronger legal framework for integrating identity management into Nigeria’s electoral system.
With NIMC’s database now containing over 136 million enrolled Nigerians, he expressed confidence that continuous synchronization between both agencies would improve the accuracy of voter registration and strengthen electoral transparency.
He also highlighted INEC’s recently introduced online voter registration platform, which now uses the National Identification Number (NIN) as the primary verification tool during Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).
Experts Warn Against Electoral Manipulation
The revelation has sparked widespread reactions from election observers and public affairs analysts, many of whom argue that retaining deceased persons on the voter register creates opportunities for electoral fraud.
Political analyst and university lecturer, Dr. Samuel Adegboye, described the development as a major loophole that could facilitate election manipulation.
According to him, inflated voter registers make it easier for unscrupulous politicians working with compromised electoral officials to manipulate election figures.
He commended the INEC Chairman for publicly acknowledging the problem but insisted that the admission must be followed by concrete action.
Dr. Adegboye also urged INEC to go beyond removing deceased voters by identifying and eliminating “ghost voters”—non-existent identities allegedly inserted into the register.
Drawing comparisons with Nigeria’s long-standing challenges of ghost workers in the public service and recently exposed cases of fictitious government agencies, he argued that similar fraudulent practices could also exist within the nation’s electoral database.
Financial Benefits of an Accurate Register
Stakeholders also emphasized the financial implications of maintaining an inflated voter register.
Retired civil servant Johnson Adewale noted that cleaning the register would eliminate unnecessary expenditure on printing ballot papers, voter cards, and other election materials for ineligible or non-existent voters.
He explained that accurate voter data would enable INEC to plan elections more efficiently while reducing opportunities for overproduction of electoral materials.
According to him, although sanitizing the register may not completely eliminate electoral malpractice, it would significantly reduce avenues for manipulation and improve the credibility of election outcomes.
Nigerians Demand Action, Not Promises
Former local government councillor Kolade Adegboyega welcomed INEC’s decision to collaborate with NIMC but stressed that Nigerians are more interested in tangible reforms than official assurances.
He urged the electoral commission to remove every obstacle capable of undermining the credibility of the 2027 general elections, describing a clean and verifiable voter register as the foundation of any transparent electoral process.
Similarly, lawyer and public affairs commentator Jason Osazuwa described the existence of deceased persons on the voter register as a reflection of Nigeria’s longstanding challenges with data management.
He called on INEC to match its promises with decisive action, insisting that Nigerians deserve elections built on integrity, transparency, and public trust.
A Critical Test Ahead of 2027
With preparations for the 2027 general elections gradually taking shape, INEC’s partnership with NIMC represents one of the most significant electoral reforms in recent years.
If effectively implemented, the integration of the National Identity Database with the voter register could help eliminate duplicate registrations, remove deceased and underage voters, reduce election costs, and strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
However, many Nigerians believe that the success of the initiative will ultimately be measured not by announcements or policy declarations, but by the credibility, transparency, and acceptance of the 2027 general election results.