2027: Yiaga Africa urges voter register clean-up
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Yiaga Africa has called for immediate and comprehensive audit of the nation’s voter register. The Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Mr Samson Itodo, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at a Policy Roundtable and Presentation of Research Report on Voter Turnout. The 16-page report tagged ‘Are Nigerians […]
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Yiaga Africa has called for immediate and comprehensive audit of the nation’s voter register.
The Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Mr Samson Itodo, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at a Policy Roundtable and Presentation of Research Report on Voter Turnout.
The 16-page report tagged ‘Are Nigerians Voting? Understanding Declining Voter Turnout in Nigeria’, was funded by Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), highlighting the need for improved voter education, better election management, and reforms in the registration process.
Itodo urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to clean-up the register by removing dead, underage voters from the register.
- Lagos Assembly crisis: Obasa, Meranda claim speakership
- Band B customers not paying enough for electricity — Minister
He also urged INEC to carry out period validation of the register where voters would validate their credentials, as part of measures to reduce the cost spent by INEC in conducting elections.
“The country does not need a new voter register but a thorough clean-up of the existing one, which is the largest database of registered voters in Africa. The revalidation exercise should be for voters registered since 2011. If a voter does not show up to revalidate their details, they should be removed from the register,” Itodo said.
He also raised concerns over the cost of elections, explaining that ballot papers are printed based on the total number of registered voters.
He said that with only 27% turnout in the 2023 elections, millions of ballot papers went to waste, amounting to billions of naira that could have been invested in healthcare, education, or small businesses.
He questioned the continued use of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), suggesting a system where national identity cards or passports could serve as valid voter identification.
He said, “Many Nigerians were disenfranchised in the last election because INEC did not produce their PVCs. If we already have their details in the voter register, why not allow them to vote with an accepted national identity document?”
The Lead researchers, Prof Okechukwu Ibeanu and Dr. Remi Aiyede identified key measures to boost participation.
These include enhancing voting services, ensuring security, and addressing logistical and psychological barriers that discourage voters.
“Strict and unbiased enforcement of electoral laws—such as penalties for voter intimidation, hate speech, and violence -is crucial to building trust and accountability,” the report said.
The study emphasised the need for a multi-platform approach to reach diverse audiences.
The report also identified three predominant models of voting behaviour in Nigeria: Self-interest voting, collective well-being voting and candidate/party loyalty voting.
On his part, INEC’s Director of Research and Documentation, Ibrahim Sani, acknowledged the challenges in cleaning up Nigeria’s voter register.
“There is no clear legal provision in Nigeria on how to remove ineligible voters from the register. This creates legal, cultural, and technical obstacles for INEC,” Sani said.