2027 Elections: INEC Accused of Secretly Adding 453 Polling Units Without Public Consultation

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been accused of secretly adding 453 polling units to its database ahead of the 2027 general elections without publicly announcing the exercise or consulting relevant electoral stakeholders.

The allegation was reported by SaharaReporters, which said it obtained an official document indicating that the country’s total polling units had increased from 176,846 to 177,299.

The reported development has raised questions about transparency and accountability in the management of Nigeria’s electoral structure as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.

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Delta State Records Increase in Polling Units

According to the document reportedly obtained by SaharaReporters, Delta State recorded an increase in its polling units from 5,863 during the last general elections to 6,316.

However, an INEC source reportedly told the publication that the commission had not publicly announced the exercise and was still maintaining that Nigeria had 176,846 polling units.

The source further alleged that some senior officials and staff of the commission were unaware of the purported addition.

INEC Asked to Explain Creation of 453 Polling Units

The source called on INEC to explain when the additional polling units were created, where they are located and the reasons behind the decision.

It also demanded the publication of their identification codes, wards, local government areas, approval records and administrative documents authorising their creation.

Although Section 40(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 empowers INEC to establish adequate polling units in every registration area or electoral ward and allocate voters to them, the source insisted that the exercise must follow transparent procedures.

It argued that decisions affecting the country’s electoral structure should involve objective criteria, demographic considerations and meaningful consultation with relevant stakeholders.

The source warned that creating polling units was not merely an administrative exercise, as such decisions could have political, geographical, social and cultural implications for affected communities.

Questions Over INEC’s 2021 Polling Unit Expansion

The source also questioned why INEC appeared to have departed from the transparency and consultation process adopted during its 2021 polling unit expansion exercise.

In June 2021, the commission increased Nigeria’s polling units from 119,974 to 176,846 after creating 56,872 additional units.

The then INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, explained that the exercise followed extensive stakeholder consultations and technical assessments.

The commission achieved the expansion largely by converting existing voting points and voting point settlements into full polling units.

Against this background, the source questioned why the commission would allegedly undertake another expansion without publicly disclosing the relevant details.

INEC Urged to Publish Locations and Approval Records

The source further cautioned against linking the restoration of previously suppressed state constituencies to the alleged creation of additional polling units.

It maintained that the restored constituencies already had polling units before the 2023 general elections and argued that their restoration should be handled through appropriate electoral arrangements.

It therefore demanded that INEC clarify whether political parties, traditional institutions, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders were consulted before the alleged exercise.

The source warned that withholding information about the additional units could further undermine public confidence in the electoral commission.

“INEC cannot reasonably expect public confidence while keeping consequential administrative decisions beyond public scrutiny,” the source said.

Allegations Come Amid Controversy Over Voters’ Register

The latest allegations come amid concerns over suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs appearing on some voter profiles in INEC’s preliminary Register of Voters.

The commission had acknowledged the concerns and announced an investigation into possible technical or procedural lapses.

In a statement signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission said it was examining the circumstances surrounding the suspicious photographs and would take appropriate action based on verified findings.

INEC also explained that the online publication of the preliminary register did not include all ongoing data-cleaning activities.

The commission announced that the final certified Register of Voters would be released on December 15, 2026.

Meanwhile, its plans to deploy artificial intelligence tools for result verification and cybersecurity ahead of the 2027 general elections have also attracted criticism from some political stakeholders.

As preparations for the next general elections intensify, the reported addition of 453 polling units has renewed calls for greater transparency in INEC’s administrative decisions.

The commission had yet to respond to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.

Newsworld | Henryrich Ojo