Ex-INEC chief questions how 1.5m invalid voter records entered register
Former INEC Director of Voter Education Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi appeared on Arise Television today demanding answers about 1.5 million questionable records discovered in the voter register. He said the law makes registration straightforward: Nigerian citizen, 18+, physical appearance for biometric capture. Yet 1.5 million problematic entries exist despite INEC's Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) and AI tools designed to catch multiple registrations.
INEC reportedly cleaned 1.2 million records, but Osaze-Uzzi says the commission hasn't clarified whether this review covered only last year's Continuous Voter Registration or the entire register dating back to 2011. He also flagged the ICT Director's reported acknowledgment of AI as a factor needing explanation. The core question remains: how did these entries bypass INEC's own safeguards?
Voter register integrity is the foundation of credible elections. With 2027 polls approaching, 1.5 million questionable records could sway tight races and further erode public trust. Osaze-Uzzi stressed that fingerprint verification across states could expose deliberate or accidental double registrations—but only if INEC deploys it comprehensively.
INEC must disclose the review's time scope, explain how AFIS and AI failed to flag these entries, and detail safeguards preventing recurrence. Citizens should demand this transparency before the next election cycle.