…Says exercise schemed to favour ruling party
By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised concerns over a purported plan by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to embark on a nationwide voter revalidation exercise, alleging that such an exercise to be executed 10months before election will only favour the ruling party.
The ADC mouthpiece warned that such a move could disenfranchise millions of Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi on Wednesday, the party called on INEC to urgently clarify the authenticity of a leaked internal memo suggesting the proposed exercise. Abdullahi cautioned that if confirmed, the plan could trigger confusion and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“We call on INEC to immediately confirm to Nigerians whether this memo is genuine and whether it indeed reflects an official plan of the Commission,” the statement said. “If true, this development raises serious concerns and must be rejected outright as a recipe for chaos.”
The ADC argued that introducing a voter revalidation exercise less than ten months before a general election would create unnecessary barriers to participation, particularly for already registered voters. According to the party, such a policy risks discouraging voter turnout and worsening the already prevalent voter apathy across the country.
“It is already difficult enough to get citizens to register to vote in the first place. To now require them to return and ‘revalidate’ their registration is, in effect, to ask them not to bother at all,” Abdullahi stated.
The party further questioned how INEC intends to accommodate voters who may be unable to travel to designated centres for the revalidation process, warning that millions could lose their voting rights due to logistical constraints.
“INEC must clearly explain what happens to Nigerians who, for valid reasons, are unable to travel for this exercise. Are they to lose their right to vote simply because they cannot make it back within a narrow window?” the statement queried.
The ADC noted that any policy capable of limiting voter participation could cast doubt on the credibility of the electoral process, stressing that public perception of fairness is as important as the process itself.
“At a time when voter apathy is already a major challenge, any policy that adds new barriers to participation will only suppress turnout further. And when turnout is suppressed, the credibility of the electoral process is inevitably called into question,” Abdullahi said.
The party also alleged that the proposed exercise, if implemented, could inadvertently favour the ruling party, arguing that confusion and reduced participation often benefit incumbents.
“In this case, the only obvious beneficiary of such confusion is the ruling party,” the ADC stated, while urging INEC to avoid actions that could be perceived as partisan.
Abdullahi expressed concern over the manner in which the alleged plan surfaced, noting that a national exercise of such magnitude should not emerge through unofficial channels.
“It is equally troubling that such a significant national exercise is only coming to public attention through a leaked memo, allegedly just days before implementation. For an exercise of this magnitude, Nigerians deserve transparency, not ambiguity,” he added.
The ADC maintained that if voter revalidation was necessary, it should have been conducted well in advance, preferably immediately after the last general election, rather than on the eve of another electoral cycle.
The party therefore urged INEC to abandon the purported plan and instead reassure Nigerians of its commitment to conducting a credible, inclusive, and transparent electoral process.
“Nigeria’s democracy cannot afford avoidable disruptions. The right to vote must not be subjected to last-minute administrative experiments,” the statement concluded.
