Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of undermining public confidence in the 2027 general elections by allegedly failing to publish the preliminary voters’ register for public scrutiny.
Mr Atiku demanded the immediate publication of the register, alleging that voters could not access it on INEC’s portal during the announced scrutiny period of October 9 to 15.
In a statement issued on Thursday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said the alleged failure raised serious questions about the credibility of the electoral process.
INEC had announced that Nigeria had more than 103 million registered voters, but Atiku said the figure was insufficient without access to the names for verification.
“INEC has announced more than 103 million registered voters. Nigerians went to its portal to inspect the names and found an empty page. That is an outrage. A figure cannot answer an objection,” he said.
He added that a public announcement could not enable voters to determine whether their names had been omitted from the register.
Mr Atiku cited Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which he said required INEC to display the voters’ register at registration areas and online for public scrutiny.
He accused the commission of failing to make the register available during the seven-day period announced for the exercise.
The former vice president also questioned an alleged discrepancy between statements attributed to INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, on the timing of the display.
According to him, the chairman reportedly said on October 5 that the public display had already been completed, while voters were subsequently informed that the exercise would run from October 9 to 15.
“Which statement is true? Where was the register published? For seven full days, or for no days at all? INEC must produce the dates, the links and the records of access,” he said.
Mr Atiku called on the commission to explain the conflicting dates and provide evidence that the register was made available for the statutory exercise.
He also raised concerns about the provisions of Section 63(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which he said allows a returning officer to count a ballot paper without INEC’s official mark if satisfied that it came from a book supplied to the polling unit.
He questioned how the origin of such ballot papers would be established and what safeguards would be available to prevent the acceptance of counterfeit ballots.
“What evidence will establish that origin? Who will verify it, and how will parties challenge a false claim?” he asked.
Mr Atiku urged INEC to outline enforceable safeguards for authenticating ballot papers and called on the National Assembly to address what he described as a loophole that could leave the authenticity of a vote dependent on an electoral officer’s assurance.
The ADC presidential candidate further alleged that INEC had yet to respond to inquiries about the identities of companies awarded contracts to print sensitive election materials.
He said the ADC and its presidential candidate, as stakeholders in the forthcoming election, were entitled to demand transparency from the electoral commission over the procedures intended to guarantee a credible poll.
Addressing Tinubu directly, Atiku linked the controversy to the economic hardship and insecurity facing Nigerians, warning against conducting the 2027 election without adequate transparency in the voters’ register.
“You will not add an unseen voters’ register to their suffering and call it a route to another four years in office,” he said.
Mr Atiku said voters must be allowed to inspect the register, challenge false entries and correct omissions before election day.
He warned that denying Nigerians access to the register could create opportunities for manipulation and prevent voters from determining whether names had been unlawfully added or removed.
The former vice president called on INEC to publish the register by local government area, area council and ward, explain the conflicting dates and provide voters with the opportunity to challenge questionable entries and restore omitted names.
“Anything less is an assault on the credibility of the 2027 election,” he said.
He also urged Nigeria’s international partners, election observers and democratic institutions to publicly press INEC to comply with the law, insisting that questions about the credibility of the election should be addressed before voting begins.
“Transparency before the vote is as essential as scrutiny of the results afterward,” Atiku said.
“The right to vote begins with the right to know that your name is on the list. INEC must stop hiding behind a blank screen. Publish the register. Open it to scrutiny. Answer the country,” he added.