Obi appeals to INEC to extend voter registration

By Taiwo Scholarstica

The Presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the ongoing voter registration exercise to the latest possible date ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Obi said extending the registration period would help ensure that eligible Nigerians, particularly young people who recently turned 18, are not left out of the electoral process.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the former Anambra State governor said the extension was important because every day, more young Nigerians attain the age of 18 and become constitutionally eligible to vote.

“They are not just our future; they are stakeholders in our present. It would be unfortunate if many of them were denied the opportunity to exercise their civic responsibility simply because the registration process closed long before the elections,” he said.

Obi also cited a Federal High Court judgment delivered on November 22, 2022, in Anaja Salmat & 3 Others v. INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/2022), which he said directed that voter registration should remain open until 90 days before a general election “to protect the constitutional voting rights of eligible Nigerians.”

He urged INEC to review the registration timeline and allow the exercise to continue for as long as practically possible, while still giving the commission enough time to prepare for the 2027 elections.

“As we continue to encourage Nigerians to participate actively in our democracy, I respectfully appeal to INEC to consider extending the voter registration window to the latest practical date that still allows adequate time for the preparation of a credible voters’ register before the 2027 general elections,” Obi added.

The presidential candidate acknowledged the enormous responsibility placed on INEC to deliver free, fair, and credible elections noting that he also recognised the need for sufficient time to clean the register and make the necessary logistical preparations.

“However, our electoral process should, as much as possible, maximise participation rather than limit it. A democracy is strengthened when every eligible citizen has the opportunity to be heard,” he said.

Obi further appealed to the electoral commission to balance the need for an effective election preparation process with the constitutional rights of eligible voters.

He urged the commission to adopt a registration timeline that protects the integrity of the process while ensuring that no eligible Nigerian, especially our young people, is unnecessarily disenfranchised.