The Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise until at least 90 days before the 2027 General Elections, warning that an early closure could disenfranchise millions of eligible Nigerians.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the coalition said its position was based on the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and a subsisting 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).
According to COPDEM, the court ruled that voter registration should remain open until 90 days before a general election to safeguard the constitutional rights of eligible citizens. It added that prematurely ending the exercise, while many Nigerians remain unregistered, could amount to an unreasonable exercise of INEC’s powers.
The coalition argued that terminating the registration process months before the constitutional deadline would undermine the inclusiveness, credibility and legitimacy of the 2027 elections.
It identified insecurity, displacement, poverty, inadequate registration centres, poor internet connectivity, transportation challenges and insufficient voter education as factors preventing many Nigerians from registering. COPDEM also noted that many young Nigerians would attain voting age before the elections, while citizens returning from abroad should also have the opportunity to register.
To address the concerns, the coalition urged INEC to maintain the CVR exercise until about October 18, 2026, publish a clear registration timetable in line with the law and court judgment, establish more fixed and mobile registration centres, particularly in rural communities and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, intensify voter education campaigns and take administrative measures to prevent the disenfranchisement of first-time voters and other eligible citizens.
COPDEM National Chairman, Rwang Pam Jr., said democracy could only thrive when every eligible citizen had equal access to the electoral process.
He stressed that the right to vote begins with the right to register, urging INEC to comply fully with the Constitution and the Federal High Court judgment by ensuring that no Nigerian is denied the opportunity to register because of a premature closure of the exercise.
The coalition also criticised INEC’s requirement for applicants to provide an email address during voter registration, describing it as an unnecessary barrier that could exclude millions of Nigerians.
COPDEM argued that many citizens, particularly those in rural communities, low-income households and the elderly, do not own smartphones or maintain functional email accounts, making the requirement inconsistent with the goal of inclusive elections.
It therefore called on the electoral commission to make the email field optional rather than compulsory, insisting that access to digital technology should not determine whether a Nigerian can exercise the constitutional right to vote.
The coalition maintained that its intervention was aimed solely at promoting free, fair, credible and inclusive elections in 2027, expressing confidence that full compliance with the Federal High Court judgment would strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process and deepen democratic participation.
