A cross-section of lawyers has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make its voter records and election procedures more transparent, arguing that public scrutiny will be essential to the credibility of the 2027 general election.
The lawyers, from Abuja-based firm Law Corridor, said INEC should give voters clear timelines, easy access to their registration details and effective channels for challenging errors.
They also urged INEC to promptly explain any changes in voter figures or discrepancies that emerge before the elections.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the firm’s Managing Partner, Henry Kelechukwu Eni-Otu, said: “Accurate voter records, lawful procedures and meaningful public scrutiny are foundational to credible elections.”
Eni-Otu pointed to Section 19 of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires INEC to display or publish the voters’ register for public inspection.
The law directs the commission to make the register available at registration areas and online for seven days, no later than 90 days before a general election.
He said INEC should clearly distinguish among applications received, completed registrations and the final number of eligible voters.
The commission, he added, should provide timely explanations when figures shift or credible questions arise about the data.
The lawyers also called on INEC to enforce Section 77 of the Electoral Act, which requires political parties to maintain membership registers and submit them to the commission before primaries, congresses and conventions.
Eni-Otu said the commission should explain how it would verify and enforce compliance with those requirements, while protecting the personal information of party members.
Political parties, he said, should be held to the same standard: accurate membership records and consistent compliance with statutory obligations.
The intervention comes in preparation for the 2027 general election and as questions have surfaced over the completeness and accessibility of the voter register.
INEC has said it displayed a preliminary register from October 9 to 15 and plans to certify and publish the final register on December 15.
For the lawyers, the issue is broader than administrative timing.
They argue that voters, political parties and observers need reliable, verifiable information well before election day if the electoral process is to withstand public scrutiny.
