The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received more than 4,800 claims and about 600 objections to the preliminary voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general election, raising fresh scrutiny over the accuracy of the database containing more than 103 million registered voters.

Joash Amupitan, INEC chairman, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja when a delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Pre-Election Fact-Finding Mission, led by Victor Bockarie Foh, former Sierra Leone Vice-President, visited the commission’s headquarters.

Amupitan said the claims and objections were received during the display of the preliminary register at registration areas nationwide, adding that the commission would address the discrepancies before certifying the final register on December 15, 2026.

He said the objections were submitted through electoral officers and Resident Electoral Commissioners, while the online publication of the register had also helped expose further discrepancies.

“The display of the register online is also confirming some of the complaints we had earlier received,” he said.

The INEC helmsman assured Nigerians that the commission would ensure the register was properly cleaned up before final certification.

The disclosure came amid concerns over the integrity of the voters’ register, following questions raised about irregularities in some of the photographs and records contained in the preliminary database.

Amupitan said INEC had completed the three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise and published the preliminary register online for public scrutiny, claims and objections.

He reaffirmed that the presidential and National Assembly elections would hold on January 16, while governorship and state assembly elections would come on February 6, 2027.

The INEC chairman said the commission had completed nine of the fourteen major milestones in its revised election timetable and was conducting nationwide readiness assessments to identify logistical and security challenges ahead of the polls.

He also disclosed plans for a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November to test the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of results, with a view to preventing a recurrence of the technical glitches experienced during the 2023 elections.

“The mistakes of the past cannot be allowed to repeat themselves,” Amupitan said.

He added that INEC had introduced a new electronic verification platform, eEC8A, to authenticate polling-unit results before their transmission to the INEC Result Viewing Portal.

On election security, he said the commission was working with security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to protect polling units, electoral personnel and voters, particularly in areas facing security challenges.

Amupitan assured the ECOWAS delegation of the commission’s neutrality, declaring, “INEC has no candidate and no political party. Our sole allegiance is to the rule of law, the sovereign will of the Nigerian electorate, and the democratic progress of our nation.”