By Myke Uzendu
The Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise until at least 90 days before the 2027 General Elections, in line with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 and a subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court.
The coalition made the demand in a formal letter submitted to the INEC Chairman at the Commission’s headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
COPDEM said its request was anchored on the Federal High Court judgment in Anaja Salmat & 3 Others v. INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/2022), delivered on November 22, 2022, which held that voter registration should continue until 90 days before a general election to safeguard the constitutional voting rights of eligible Nigerians.
According to the coalition, ending the current registration exercise months before the constitutional deadline could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters and undermine the credibility, inclusiveness and legitimacy of the 2027 general elections.
The group argued that many Nigerians are yet to register due to insecurity, internal displacement, poverty, inadequate registration centres, poor internet connectivity, transportation challenges and insufficient voter education.
It also noted that thousands of Nigerians would attain voting age before the 2027 elections, while many citizens currently living abroad are expected to return home before the polls and should not be denied the opportunity to register and vote.
Among its demands, COPDEM urged INEC to keep the CVR exercise open until about October 18, 2026, approximately 90 days before the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.
The coalition also asked the electoral commission to publish a comprehensive voter registration timetable, establish additional fixed and mobile registration centres, particularly in rural communities and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, intensify nationwide voter education campaigns and adopt measures to prevent the disenfranchisement of first-time voters.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, its National Chairman, Rwang Pam Jr., said democracy is strengthened when every eligible citizen has an equal opportunity to vote.
“The right to vote begins with the right to register. INEC must comply with both the Constitution and the judgment of the Federal High Court by ensuring that no Nigerian is denied that fundamental democratic right through the premature closure of voter registration,” he said.
In a related appeal, COPDEM urged INEC to remove the mandatory requirement for an email address during the ongoing voter registration exercise.
The coalition argued that making an email address compulsory could disenfranchise millions of Nigerians who do not own smartphones or maintain functional email accounts.
