Don’t Disenfranchise Young Nigerians, Peter Obi Asks INEC To Extend Voter Registration

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 general elections, Peter Obi, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the ongoing voter registration exercise, arguing that doing so would ensure more eligible Nigerians, particularly first-time voters, participate in the electoral process.

Obi made the appeal in a statement personally issued on Thursday, urging the electoral umpire to keep the registration window open until the latest practical date that would still allow adequate time to prepare a credible voters' register before the 2027 polls.

According to him, the extension would prevent millions of newly eligible voters from being excluded from the democratic process.

“As we continue to encourage Nigerians to participate actively in our democracy, I respectfully appeal to INEC to consider extending the voter registration window to the latest practical date that still allows adequate time for the preparation of a credible voters' register before the 2027 general elections,’’ he said.

The former Anambra State governor noted that thousands of Nigerians attain the constitutional voting age of 18 every day and should not be denied the opportunity to register simply because the exercise ends long before the elections.

“Every day, more young Nigerians attain the age of 18 and become constitutionally eligible to vote. They are not just our future; they are stakeholders in our present. It would be unfortunate if many of them were denied the opportunity to exercise their civic responsibility simply because the registration process closed long before the elections,” Obi stated.

He further argued that his position is backed by a Federal High Court judgment delivered on November 22, 2022, in the case of Anaja Salmat & 3 Others v. INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/2022), which held that continuous voter registration should continue until 90 days before a general election to safeguard the constitutional voting rights of eligible Nigerians.

Obi acknowledged the logistical challenges facing the electoral commission but maintained that the electoral process should prioritise inclusiveness without compromising the credibility of the polls.

“I appreciate the enormous responsibility placed on INEC to deliver free, fair, and credible elections. I also recognise the need for sufficient time to clean the register and make the necessary logistical preparations. However, our electoral process should, as much as possible, maximise participation rather than limit it,’’ he said.

He added that broad participation remains essential to a healthy democracy and urged the commission to adopt a voter registration timeline that accommodates all eligible Nigerians.

“A democracy is strengthened when every eligible citizen has the opportunity to be heard. I therefore urge INEC to adopt a registration timeline that protects the integrity of the process while ensuring that no eligible Nigerian, especially our young people, is unnecessarily disenfranchised,” Obi added.

The INEC had fixed July 26, 2026, as the closing date for the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise after extending the exercise by two weeks from the initial July 10 deadline.

The commission said the extension was aimed at enabling more eligible Nigerians to register ahead of the 2027 general elections while allowing sufficient time to clean up the voters' register and complete other pre-election preparations.