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INEC removes 7,746 deceased voters from the register, identifies ongoing challenges.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that, as of December 2022, it successfully removed 7,746 deceased individuals from the national voter register across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Diaspora digital media (DDM) gathered that this disclosure was made by Victoria Etta-Messi, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC, during an interview with Punch on Thursday.

The effort is part of the commission’s regular process of updating and cleansing the voter register, which is especially important ahead of general elections.

INEC confirmed that the removal of deceased voters is an ongoing activity meant to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the national voter register.

While this task is routinely carried out, the commission highlighted the challenges it faces, particularly due to the lack of complete and accessible official death records.

The absence of reliable death documentation continues to complicate the process of accurately identifying and removing deceased individuals from the register.

In its 2023 post-election review, which was conducted in December 2024, INEC reiterated the persistent difficulties it encounters in cleaning up the voter register.

The commission pointed out that the absence of comprehensive death records remains a significant obstacle in ensuring the voter list remains up-to-date and free from inaccuracies.

As part of its continuous efforts, INEC is committed to improving the process, although external factors, such as incomplete records, hinder its progress.

Further details from the review highlighted that a significant number of new voters were added during the latest voter registration exercise.

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Specifically, 12,298,944 new voters were registered.

However, the commission also flagged and removed 2,780,756 invalid registrations, which represented 22.6 percent of the total.

These invalid registrations were identified through INEC’s Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), which plays a crucial role in ensuring that only legitimate voters are included in the electoral process.

In addition to cleaning up the register, INEC expressed concern over the declining voter turnout in the 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections.

The voter participation rate dropped to just 27.5 percent, a significant decline from 35.6 percent in the 2019 elections.

Some stakeholders have linked this reduction in voter turnout to potential issues such as an inflated voter register, urging the commission to implement more rigorous efforts to clean up the list of registered voters.

INEC has also acknowledged the need for enhanced collaboration with other key agencies in Nigeria to address these challenges.

During its post-election review, recommendations were made for INEC to work more closely with the National Population Commission (NPC) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

By improving cooperation with these organizations, INEC hopes to better identify deceased individuals in the voter register and swiftly remove them.

In addition to focusing on deceased voters, there were calls during the review to consider suspending individuals who have not participated in the last three election cycles.

The recommendation suggests that these individuals should be required to revalidate their registration in order to remain on the voter list.

This measure is seen as a way to further ensure the accuracy and relevance of the voter register, particularly as voter behavior evolves over time.

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As INEC continues its work to maintain a credible and reliable voter register, it remains focused on tackling these ongoing challenges, with an emphasis on strengthening collaborations with other governmental bodies and implementing more effective strategies for voter registration and maintenance.


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