INEC Updates on Voter Registration and Wike's ₦10m Offer for Tinubu Support

Almost four out of five of the 1.6 million invalid voter registrations revealed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday had already been removed before the preliminary register was published. The commission admitted that some questionable entries from earlier registration exercises are still unresolved ahead of Nigeria's 2027 elections.

INEC also identified 54 registration personnel for investigation.

In Abuja, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike pledged ₦10 million to councillors who can deliver their wards for President Bola Tinubu. His party has set vote targets in Ebonyi that are much higher than the number of voters accredited in the 2023 presidential election.

In Jigawa, Abba Atiku, a son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, led his political group to declare support for Mr Tinubu. Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has asked INEC to keep its disputed leadership records safe. Also, 375 judges were sworn in in Abuja for election petition duties.

INEC Discusses 1.6 Million Invalid Registrations

INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan said the commission looked at 11,088,238 records from the three phases of the 2025, 26 Continuous Voter Registration exercise. Out of these, 1,608,660, which is about 14.5 percent, were verified as invalid and removed, according to a report from PREMIUM TIMES during Monday's briefing.

The commission's Automated Biometric Identification System had flagged 1,545,052 registrations for review. INEC removed 1,277,052 invalid records before it published the preliminary register in October. After receiving public complaints, the commission reviewed another 268,000 cases, rejecting 217,722 and accepting 50,278 as valid.

Further checks found an extra 113,886 invalid entries. The two later rounds accounted for 331,608 exclusions, bringing the total to 1,608,660. This means nearly 80 percent of the rejected registrations were removed before Monday's announcement, not newly deleted that day.

INEC also reported taking out 873 records belonging to confirmed deceased voters. While a total of 1,609,553 was attributed to the commission, the two components, 1,608,660 invalid registrations and 873 deceased-voter records, add up to 1,609,533. This leaves an unexplained difference of 20 records.

Mr Amupitan explained that automated flags do not mean registrations are automatically invalid. The 50,278 cases cleared in the later review show the need for individual checks. The investigation revealed suspected multiple registrations, swapped photographs, and unusual registration patterns.

INEC also found that some staff allegedly ignored procedures meant for special registration cases, including help for persons with disabilities. The chairman said 54 people across 10 states have been identified for disciplinary actions, with possible prosecution if wrongdoing is proven.

INEC noted that questionable records from registration exercises held between 2011 and 2023 are still in its system. Some of the suspicious names and photos that circulated online came from those earlier exercises, Mr Amupitan said. The commission has postponed a nationwide revalidation exercise until after the elections but stated that it will keep looking into historical irregularities through current complaint and verification processes.

Mr Amupitan also pointed out that some voters who moved without transferring their registrations re-registered. Their duplicate entries were rejected while the original registrations stayed at their previous locations. Regarding Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), INEC said distribution for earlier registration phases is ongoing. Cards from the third phase are still being delivered, with collection at registration areas set to resume on 1 December. The decision to delay a nationwide revalidation means the commission has to rely on targeted checks to address older irregularities before the January 2027 election.

Wike’s ₦10m Offer, Ebonyi Targets and Abba Atiku’s Jigawa Move

Mr Wike promised ₦10 million to FCT councillors who can deliver their wards for Mr Tinubu during a Rainbow Coalition stakeholders’ meeting in Kwali Area Council. He urged them to work with community leaders, youth groups, and local associations to gain support.

His media aide, Lere Olayinka, confirmed this promise to TheCable. APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda defended the offer on Channels Television’s Politics Today, saying he does not see it as vote-buying. Neither the minister's announcement nor the defense said who would pay for the rewards, what would qualify a ward, or which activities the payments would cover.

Section 125(1)(a) of the Electoral Act 2026 talks about corrupt offers or promises meant to influence a person's vote or to help a candidate win. But Subsection (3) says money given for genuine lawful election expenses does not count as corrupt. Whether the pledge is a prohibited inducement or lawful campaign spending depends on its purpose and terms. Just the announcement alone does not prove an offense.

At an APC presidential rally in Abakaliki, campaign council director-general Abdulaziz Yari set a minimum target of 1.2 million votes for Mr Tinubu. Minister of Works David Umahi mentioned a goal of 1.3 million, according to The Guardian’s report. These targets are much higher than the number of voters accredited in Ebonyi during the last presidential election.

In 2023, INEC reported 42,402 votes for Mr Tinubu and 259,738 for Peter Obi of the Labour Party. A total of 337,887 voters were accredited statewide, while 325,351 valid presidential votes were counted. The APC's minimum target is more than three times the 2023 accreditation figure, although registration, turnout, and party support may change in 2027.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima, representing Mr Tinubu at the rally, pointed to federal infrastructure projects and appointments as proof of the administration's commitment to Ebonyi and the South-East. In Jigawa, another show of support came from within the family of the former vice-president, whose ADC nomination is facing legal challenges. Abba Atiku led members of his Haske political group to the state ahead of Mr Tinubu’s planned visit on Tuesday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Abba announced plans to merge his group’s state structure into the APC in support of the president’s re-election. The group’s director-general, Usman Meyari, said Haske was formed in 2019 to support Atiku Abubakar but has now decided to back Mr Tinubu. He mentioned an informal agreement about rotating presidential power between northern and southern Nigeria.

Jigawa Governor Umar Namadi welcomed the group and promised cooperation. This announcement shows the group’s declared support, but it does not indicate its membership strength or how individual members plan to vote. Abba Atiku’s choice also does not reflect his father’s political stance.