The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has discovered that the names of numerous deceased Nigerians remain on the nation’s voters register and has announced plans to clean up the list nationwide.
The revelation was made on February 4, 2026, in Abuja by INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, during the commission’s first quarterly meeting with Civil Society Organisations.
Prof. Amupitan explained that an internal review of the register revealed that some individuals who have long passed away are still listed as eligible voters, raising concerns about the quality and credibility of the electoral database.
To address the issue, INEC is preparing to conduct a nationwide verification exercise aimed at removing names of deceased citizens to ensure that only qualified and living Nigerians are captured in the voters register.
Citing the Anambra State off-cycle governorship election held in November, Amupitan noted that although more than 2.9 million voters were registered, only about 600,000 people participated—roughly 20 percent turnout. A review of the register after the election revealed that names of well-known politicians who are deceased were still included.
“This situation weakens trust in the voters register and makes a cleanup necessary, since deceased persons cannot take part in elections,” the INEC chairman said.
Amupitan also confirmed that preparations for the 2027 general elections are ongoing. He noted that the election timetable has been drawn up, but its release is on hold pending proposed changes to the Electoral Act, which could affect the schedule.