Obi Urges INEC to Extend Voter Registration Before 2027 Polls

Obi Seeks Extension of Voter Registration
The presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress in the 2027 election, Peter Obi, has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission to keep the ongoing voter registration open until the latest possible time before the general election. He made the appeal on Thursday, saying it would give more eligible Nigerians the opportunity to register and vote in 2027.

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Obi said the request was necessary because thousands of young Nigerians turn 18 every day and become qualified to vote under the Constitution. According to him, ending the registration exercise too early could prevent many first-time voters from taking part in the election despite being eligible.

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He also referred to a Federal High Court judgment delivered on November 22, 2022, in the case of Anaja Salmat and three others versus INEC. Obi said the court ruled that voter registration should continue until 90 days before a general election in order to protect the voting rights of qualified citizens.

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The former Anambra State governor acknowledged that INEC has the responsibility of conducting free, fair and credible elections. He also noted that the commission requires enough time to clean up the voters’ register and complete other preparations before the polls.

Despite this, Obi maintained that the electoral process should allow as many qualified Nigerians as possible to participate rather than leaving some people out because registration ended too early. He said a wider registration period would help strengthen the country’s democracy by giving every eligible citizen the chance to vote.

He therefore called on INEC to adopt a voter registration timetable that gives the commission enough time to prepare for the election while also ensuring that qualified Nigerians, especially young people who become eligible before the polls, are not denied the opportunity to register and exercise their voting rights.