Discrepancies in Voter Register: Election Advocacy Groups Demand Explanations from INEC over

Discrepancies in Voter Register: Election Advocacy Groups Demand Explanations from INEC over David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Two election advocacy groups, MundX Analytics and Actizens Social Impact Foundation (ASIF) have called for explanation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over reported discrepancies in the voters’ register. The groups made the call yesterday, during a joint pre-summit world press conference held in Awka, Anambra State, to introduce a forthcoming summit on the roles citizens are expected to play in the 2027 polls, to ensure credible elections. There had been recent revelations by the groups on the infiltration of INEC portals with AI generated images attached to printed voter’s cards, and the astronomical rise in number of registered voters in some polling units in Edo State, suspected to be linked to politicians. The groups while calling for answers to some of this discoveries from INEC also announced its forthcoming summit themed: 2027 Election Evidence Summit, which comes up on November 30, 2026. The groups said the conference would be looking at the roles citizens can play in preserving polling unit results as evidence for election tribunals, and would also question the astronomical increase in registered voters in some wards suspected to be those of politicians. The press conference was jointly addressed by Mr. Martin Uwakwe, representing MundX Analytics, and Mr. Chidi Lucky Kanu, who is Executive Director of Actizens Social Impact Foundation. Uwakwe in his address said: “The forthcoming summit will question one of our findings concerning a polling unit associated with Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo. The polling unit had 397 registered voters during the 2024 governorship election but recorded 4,783 voters in the 2026 preliminary register. The reported increase of 4,386 voters represents approximately 1,105%. “We will be questioning the circumstances surrounding the increase, and documented explanation from INEC. We’re also concerned about suspicious voter photographs, including images alleged to have been generated using artificial intelligence.” Kanu in his own presentation examined records relating to the 2023 presidential election in Rivers State, challenging INEC, electoral stakeholders, journalists and Nigerians to subject the findings to rigorous scrutiny. He said: “Nigeria must strengthen mechanisms for preserving authentic polling-unit results for independent verification and lawful electoral dispute resolution. The credibility of an election depends not only on voting and counting but also on the integrity of the records available when results are challenged. “This initiative will promote lawful election observation, documentation of polling-unit activities and preservation of authentic result-sheet evidence. Citizen-generated records must satisfy applicable legal requirements before they can be relied upon in election petitions.” The forthcoming summit will examine the legal and technological possibilities of independently preserving polling-unit results, including the conditions under which such records may be useful in election tribunals. Kanu said the summit will bring together INEC, electoral candidates, civil society groups, legal practitioners, faith-based institutions and Nigerians interested in credible elections.