Civil society organisations, youth groups and other concerned Nigerians have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The call was contained in a statement by Kenneth Eze, Executive Director of Speak Out Africa Initiative and an election observer, who argued that the issue goes beyond an administrative disagreement and directly affects citizens’ constitutional right to participate in elections.
According to Eze, the CVR exercise began on August 18, 2025, after a prolonged period following the 2023 elections. INEC initially set July 10, 2026 as the closing date before extending it to July 26 following appeals from citizens and stakeholders.
He said the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, noting that the period between the July 26 registration deadline and election day is about 174 days.
Eze argued that if the Electoral Act requires voter registration to close 90 days before an election, INEC’s deadline leaves an estimated 84-day gap.
He said the gap could prevent thousands or potentially millions of Nigerians who attain the voting age during the period from registering and participating in the elections.
While acknowledging INEC’s need to clean the voter register, display records for verification and correct errors before elections, Eze maintained that administrative convenience should not override legal requirements and citizens’ democratic rights.
He urged the electoral commission to seek legislative amendments if existing timelines create operational difficulties, rather than unilaterally shortening periods established by law.
Eze also said extending the registration exercise would help strengthen public confidence in the electoral system, particularly amid efforts to rebuild trust following concerns surrounding previous elections.
He urged INEC to review its CVR timeline and allow registration to continue until the legally permissible period before the 2027 elections.
According to him, ensuring that eligible Nigerians are not excluded from the electoral process would demonstrate INEC’s commitment to inclusion, citizens’ rights and democratic participation.
The groups maintained that Nigerians who turn 18 before the 2027 elections should not be denied the opportunity to register simply because they attained voting age after the administrative deadline.
They stressed that democracy begins before election day, with the process of determining who is eligible to participate, and called on INEC to act promptly on the demand for an extension.
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