The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to confirm the authenticity of a leaked memo suggesting a nationwide voter revalidation exercise.
The party warned that such a move, less than ten months before elections, could disenfranchise millions and fuel voter apathy.
In a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the revalidation plan “is a recipe for chaos” and risks suppressing turnout.
“Coming less than ten months to a general election, such an exercise risks disenfranchising millions of Nigerians,” Abdullahi said.
“To now require citizens to return and revalidate their registration is, in effect, to ask them not to bother at all.”
The ADC raised concerns over the timing and the leak itself, arguing that major electoral exercises should not emerge abruptly through unofficial channels.
“For an exercise of this magnitude, Nigerians deserve transparency, not ambiguity,” the statement read.
Abdullahi also questioned how INEC would accommodate voters unable to travel to revalidation centers, stressing that any additional barriers “will only suppress turnout further,” and the ruling party may emerge as the main beneficiary of the confusion.
“No matter its stated intentions, INEC must be careful not to lend itself to accusations of helping the ruling party rig the elections before the votes are even cast,” Abdullahi added.
The ADC urged INEC to abandon the plan and reassure Nigerians that no policy will be introduced at this critical time that could undermine confidence in the electoral process.
“Nigeria’s democracy cannot afford avoidable disruptions. The right to vote must not be subjected to last-minute administrative experiments,” Abdullahi said.
