2027 Elections: Civil Society Groups Urge INEC to Investigate Voter Register Discrepancies in Edo, Rivers.

Two Nigerian civil society organisations have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a thorough investigation into alleged discrepancies in the preliminary voters’ register and previously declared election results, warning that unresolved concerns could undermine public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The organisations, MundX Analytics and Actizens Social Impact Foundation (ASIF), made the call during a joint pre summit press conference held in Awka, Anambra State, on Friday, October 30, 2026.

Their concerns centre on reported inconsistencies in voter registration figures in parts of Edo State and discrepancies between selected polling unit records and figures associated with the 2023 presidential election results in Rivers State.

During the presentation, Martin Uwakwe, founder of MundX Analytics, highlighted what his organisation described as a significant increase in registered voters at a polling unit associated with Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo.

According to the organisation, the polling unit reportedly had 397 registered voters during the 2024 Edo governorship election but appeared with 4,783 voters in INEC’s preliminary register published in October 2026.

The alleged difference of 4,386 voters represents an increase of approximately 1,105 per cent.

Uwakwe questioned the circumstances surrounding the increase, urging INEC to provide a detailed explanation supported by verifiable registration records.

The organisation also raised concerns about suspicious photographs appearing in the preliminary register, including images suspected of being artificially generated using artificial intelligence (AI).

However, the allegations have not independently established electoral malpractice, and the discrepancies require examination against authentic registration records and official documentation.

In Rivers State, MundX Analytics presented what it described as inconsistencies between selected polling unit records and figures associated with INEC’s declared results from the 2023 presidential election.

The organisation called for an independent review of the underlying electoral documents to establish whether the reported differences resulted from administrative errors, data inconsistencies or other irregularities.

Uwakwe emphasized that the findings were presented for public scrutiny and should not be interpreted as a judicial determination of electoral wrongdoing.

He urged INEC, journalists, political stakeholders and citizens to examine the evidence critically rather than draw conclusions without proper verification.

Meanwhile, Chidi Kanu, Executive Director of Actizens Social Impact Foundation, stressed the importance of strengthening the preservation of authentic polling unit election results to support transparency and the lawful resolution of electoral disputes.

Kanu introduced the organisation’s NGelectionPolls Election Monitor, a citizen powered election observation initiative designed to recruit and train non-partisan eyewitness reporters across polling units.

The initiative is expected to encourage citizens to document polling activities, observe the electoral process and preserve authentic result sheet evidence that could assist in resolving election related disputes.

The organisation, however, acknowledged that citizen generated records must satisfy applicable legal requirements before they can be admitted as evidence in election petitions.

INEC Faces Renewed Scrutiny Over Preliminary Voters’ Register

The organisations’ demands come amid growing public concerns about the accuracy and integrity of INEC’s preliminary voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The electoral commission recently faced criticism following reports of duplicate entries, questionable registration records and suspected AI generated photographs in its published preliminary database.

In response, INEC confirmed that it had commenced reviewing questionable records identified during the public display of the preliminary register.

The commission clarified that the register published online on October 26 was not the final certified version and did not reflect all ongoing data cleaning activities.

INEC also stated that it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the suspicious photographs and would take appropriate action based on verified findings.

On October 31, INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed that the commission had received more than 4,800 claims and approximately 600 objections to the preliminary register as part of efforts to address reported discrepancies.

The commission has scheduled December 15, 2026, for the certification of the final Register of Voters.

The disclosure underscores the importance of resolving identified inaccuracies before the next general elections, particularly given the significance of an accurate voters’ register in determining electoral participation and safeguarding the credibility of election results.

November 30 Summit to Address Electoral Accountability

As part of their efforts to strengthen electoral transparency, MundX Analytics and Actizens Social Impact Foundation announced plans to organize the 2027 Election Evidence Summit on November 30, 2026.

The summit, themed “2027 Elections: Can Citizens Preserve Polling Unit Results as Evidence for Election Tribunals?”, is expected to bring together electoral candidates, legal practitioners, civil society organisations, faith based institutions, journalists and technology experts.

Discussions will focus on the legal and technological frameworks for independently preserving polling unit results and ensuring that election evidence remains accessible for verification and possible judicial proceedings.

The organisations also plan to demonstrate their respective electoral monitoring technologies and explore ways to expand citizen participation in election observation nationwide.

They urged INEC, political parties, electoral candidates and Nigerians committed to democratic accountability to participate in the summit.

With the 2027 general elections approaching, the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process will depend not only on the conduct of voting but also on the accuracy of registration records, transparency in result management and the availability of reliable evidence when disputes arise.

For INEC, addressing legitimate concerns through transparent investigations, documented explanations and verifiable corrections will be essential to strengthening public confidence in the electoral system.