INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan Defends Nationwide Voter Card Revalidation Citing Inaccuracies In Current 93 Million Person Database

INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan explains that the 2027 voter card revalidation will correct inaccuracies in Nigeria’s 93 million voter database.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 3, 2026, 9:21 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Daily Post Nigeria

Addressing Discrepancies In The Voter Register

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has provided a formal justification for the commission's upcoming nationwide voter revalidation exercise. During an appearance on Arise News on Friday, April 3, 2026, Amupitan argued that the current figure of approximately 93 million registered voters is an inaccurate representation of Nigeria's actual voting population. He maintained that maintaining an inflated or outdated register provides a skewed perspective on democratic engagement, making it a priority for the commission to clean the data before the 2027 electoral cycle begins.

Improving Election Credibility Metrics

A primary motivation for the revalidation, according to the Chairman, is to fix the metrics used both locally and internationally to judge the success of Nigerian elections. Amupitan noted that when the official register contains millions of inactive or deceased voters, it creates a false narrative of high "voter apathy" when actual turnout is measured against the total. By revalidating the list, INEC aims to provide a more precise denominator for calculating participation rates, thereby ensuring that assessments of election credibility are based on realistic and verifiable data.

A Pre-existing Commission Policy

Prof. Amupitan clarified that the move toward revalidation was not a sudden decision but a measure that had been under consideration even before he assumed leadership of the commission. The formal directive for the exercise was contained in an internal memo dated April 2, 2026, signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, and distributed to all Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) across the country. This timeline suggests a structured, long-term effort by the commission to modernize its administrative records ahead of high-stakes national contests.