The Nigerian Democratic Congress’ presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to extend ongoing voter registration to the latest practical date before the 2027 general elections, claiming that doing so will ensure that more eligible Nigerians are not excluded from the electoral process.
Obi stated on Thursday that the extension was required since “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 argued that his position was supported by a Federal High Court decision issued on November 22, 2022, in Anaja Salmat & 3 Others v. INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/2022), which ruled that voter registration should continue until 90 days before a general election “to protect the constitutional voting rights of eligible Nigerians.”
“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 said.
He acknowledged “the enormous responsibility placed on INEC to deliver free, fair, and credible elections” and said he also recognized the need for “sufficient time to clean the register and make the necessary logistical preparations.”
“However, our electoral process should, as much as possible, maximize participation rather than limit it. A democracy is strengthened when every eligible citizen has the opportunity to be heard,” he added.
Obi urged INEC 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.”
