Abuja — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned that technology, while critical to election integrity, cannot on its own resolve Nigeria’s growing voting crisis marked by declining voter turnout and persistent flaws in the voters’ register.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), gave the warning on Thursday in Abuja at the commission’s first regular consultative meeting with political parties, noting that innovations such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) have curbed ballot stuffing and multiple voting but have failed to address voter apathy and public distrust.
“Technology is a tool, not a solution,” Amupitan said. “Without active citizen participation and sustained voter education by political parties, our democracy will continue to suffer.”
He expressed concern over Nigeria’s shrinking voter participation, revealing that turnout in presidential elections fell from 53.7 per cent in 2011 to 26.7 per cent in 2023. According to him, the decline reflects waning public confidence, worsened by issues such as duplicate registrations, registration of non-citizens, and records of deceased persons on the voters’ register.
To address these challenges, Amupitan disclosed that INEC plans to conduct a nationwide voter revalidation exercise ahead of the 2027 general election to clean up the register and ensure that only eligible Nigerians are allowed to vote. He said details of the exercise would be announced in due course.
The INEC boss urged political parties to intensify voter mobilisation and education, stressing that restoring confidence in the electoral process is a shared responsibility.
“INEC can deploy the best technology available, but without informed and motivated citizens, elections will remain a formality rather than a true reflection of the people’s will,” he said.
Amupitan also reminded Nigerians of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026, urging eligible voters to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before February 10. He warned against vote-buying, describing it as a criminal offence and a direct threat to democracy.
On party politics, he called on political leaders to resolve internal disputes and strengthen internal democracy, noting that leadership crises and prolonged litigations undermine election preparations and public trust.
The INEC chairman further announced the registration of two new political parties, bringing the total number of registered parties in Nigeria to 21 ahead of the 2027 polls. The newly registered parties are the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
He explained that the decision followed a rigorous screening process in line with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s guidelines. According to him, INEC received 171 letters of intent, out of which 14 associations were prequalified, and eight submitted complete documentation. Only the DLA met all legal requirements for registration.
The NDC, he added, was registered in compliance with a Federal High Court order issued in Lokoja, Kogi State.
Certificates of registration will be presented to both parties in due course.
Speaking at the meeting, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) National Chairman, Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, urged INEC to remain independent, neutral, and firm as preparations intensify for the 2027 general election.
“Nigerians’ expectations for credible, transparent, and inclusive elections have never been higher,” Dantalle said, stressing that INEC must provide a level playing field for all political parties.
He congratulated Amupitan on his appointment and described the meeting as a critical first engagement between the commission and political parties under the new leadership.
Dantalle called on INEC to strictly adhere to party constitutions when recognising party leadership, warning that unresolved internal disputes have historically weakened democratic stability and fuelled unnecessary litigation.
He also urged political parties to exhaust IPAC’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms rather than resorting to the courts, noting that the Supreme Court has consistently ruled that courts lack jurisdiction over internal party leadership matters.
On electoral reforms, Dantalle called on the National Assembly to fast-track the harmonisation of electoral laws and reiterated IPAC’s demand for mandatory real-time transmission of election results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
Describing the upcoming FCT Area Council elections as another credibility test for INEC, he argued that State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) should be scrapped and INEC empowered to conduct all elections nationwide.
He further advocated for same-day conduct of all elections, citing reduced costs, lower voter fatigue, and the elimination of bandwagon effects.
“As the umbrella body of all registered political parties, IPAC remains committed to working with INEC and other stakeholders to deepen democracy and ensure credible elections,” Dantalle said.
