The Independent National Electoral Commission has directed all Resident Electoral Commissioners to suspend publicity and arrangements for the planned voter revalidation exercise, just days after the commission announced it would commence the nationwide drive on April 13, 2026.
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The directive was issued in a letter dated April 4, 2026, signed by the commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
The suspension comes amid criticism from religious leaders and civil society groups who warned that the exercise could disenfranchise millions of Nigerians.
In the letter titled “Notice of Meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (Virtual),” INEC instructed RECs to put all publicity and preparations for the voter revalidation exercise on hold.
“RECs are also directed to step down all publicity and arrangements for the voter revalidation exercise and await further directives from the commission,” the letter stated.
However, the commission asked RECs to continue necessary preparations, including sourcing of personnel and preparation of INEC Voter Enrolment Devices (IVED).
The letter also informed that a previously scheduled physical meeting with RECs on Thursday, April 9, at 11:00 AM will now be conducted virtually via Zoom.
“Further to the notice of meeting dated 3rd April 2026, please be informed that the meeting of the commission with Resident Electoral Commissioners scheduled for Thursday, 9th April 2026 at 11.00am will now hold virtually via Zoom,” the notice read.
RECs were advised to remain in their respective states and await login details.
“Consequently, RECs are advised to remain in their states and await the login details which will be shared once the meeting is set up,” INEC stated.
The commission expressed regret over any inconvenience caused by the changes, assuring the commissioners of its consideration.
INEC had earlier announced that the nationwide voter revalidation drive would begin on April 13, 2026, as part of efforts to update the voter register ahead of the 2027 general election.
The original timeline showed that the exercise would begin at the Local Government Area level from April 13 to May 2, before moving to the Registration Area level from May 5 to May 11, and subsequently to Polling Units from May 13 to May 19.
The suspension comes after the Chief Imam of Al-Furqan Mosque in Kano, Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar, criticised INEC over the directive that all voters’ cards must be revalidated within stipulated days.
The cleric, who is also the President of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, delivered his warning during a Friday sermon in Kano.
He described the move as “unfair” and warned that it could disenfranchise millions of Nigerians, particularly those in areas with large populations.
Dr. Umar argued that voter revalidation is not provided for in the electoral law and questioned the feasibility of completing such a process in less than two months.
“Whosoever has a voter’s card has the right to vote and decide who rules. They are simply trying to render the voter’s card useless despite the fact that we spent a long time sensitising people on its importance,” he said.
The cleric cautioned that the policy could lead to unrest if citizens feel their rights are being undermined.
He drew parallels with protests and instability in countries such as Libya, Sudan, and Syria, urging Nigerian leaders to avoid actions that could trigger similar crises.
Dr. Umar reiterated his earlier call for the removal of the INEC Chairman, alleging that the commission’s leadership harbours “sinister intentions against Nigerian Muslims.”
He maintained that the short timeline for revalidation was impractical and designed to cut down the number of eligible voters.
He further noted that the last election demonstrated the numerical strength of Muslims in the country, warning that insecurity and travel difficulties would make it impossible for many to revalidate their cards at their local government headquarters.
“We call on our lawmakers to reject it. We are waiting for them because we didn’t hear anything from them,” he said, adding that Muslims would continue to rely on their voice and prayers against what he described as unfair plans.
INEC’s sudden directive to suspend publicity and arrangements for the voter revalidation exercise — just days after announcing its commencement date — suggests the commission may be reconsidering aspects of the policy following significant pushback.
The criticism from the Kano Chief Imam, representing a significant religious constituency, highlighted concerns that the exercise could be used to disenfranchise certain segments of the population.
While INEC has not officially linked the suspension to the criticism, the timing is notable. The commission’s instruction to RECs to continue background preparations while halting public-facing activities suggests a possible recalibration of the approach.
For Nigerians concerned about their voting rights, the development offers some respite — but also uncertainty. The commission’s instruction to “await further directives” leaves open the question of what form the revalidation exercise will ultimately take, and whether the concerns raised about its feasibility and fairness will be adequately addressed.
The virtual meeting scheduled for April 9 may provide more clarity on INEC’s revised plans for the exercise and the timeline for updating the voter register ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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