Former Vice-President and 2027 presidential hopeful, Atiku Abubakar, has issued a stern warning to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanding the immediate publication and online display of the nation’s preliminary voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku warned that the electoral umpire’s failure to make the records accessible online threatens to severely undermine public trust and compromise the credibility of the upcoming polls.
The former Vice-President made his position known through an official press statement released on Thursday, October 22, 2026, by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in Abuja.
Atiku alleged that while INEC announced a nationwide registered voter population exceeding 103 million, citizens who visited the commission’s official portal during the designated public inspection window of October 9 to October 15, 2026, were met with an “empty page”.
The statement pointed to conflicting communications from INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, who reportedly indicated on October 5, 2026, that the display process was completed, despite the commission later slating the inspection for October 9–15.
Atiku stressed that announcing voter figures without providing room for physical or digital verification deprives Nigerians of their statutory right to correct omissions or object to invalid entries.
”INEC has announced more than 103 million registered voters. Nigerians went to its portal to inspect the names and found an empty page. That is an outrage. A figure cannot answer an objection. A press announcement cannot tell a voter whether her name has been omitted. Show Nigerians the register,” Atiku stated.
He further referenced Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, emphasizing that publishing the register both physically at registration centers and digitally on official web platforms is a mandatory legal obligation rather than an optional feature.
Concluding his call to action, the former Vice-President urged foreign election monitoring groups, international partners, and civil society organizations to demand immediate access to the voters’ list rather than waiting until election day.
”The right to vote begins with the right to know that your name is on the list. INEC must stop hiding behind a blank screen. Publish the register. Open it to scrutiny. Answer the country,” he added.
