Former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the ongoing voter registration exercise, arguing that a longer window was necessary to ensure a credible voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi, in a statement posted on his X handle on Thursday, said he was not asking for an open-ended extension but urged INEC “to consider extending the voter registration window to the latest practical date that still allows adequate time for the preparation of a credible voters’ register.”
He noted that Nigerians continue to turn 18 every day, automatically becoming eligible to vote, and warned that many risk being locked out if registration closes too early.
“They are not just our future; they are stakeholders in our present,” he said, adding that it would be unfortunate for eligible Nigerians to be denied the chance to participate simply because registration ended long before the elections.
Obi anchored his appeal in a Federal High Court judgment delivered on November 22, 2022, in the case of Anaja Salmat and three others v. INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/2022).
According to him, the court held that voter registration should run until 90 days before a general election in order to protect the constitutional voting rights of eligible Nigerians.
While acknowledging the “enormous responsibility” on INEC to deliver free, fair, and credible elections, Obi said he recognised the Commission’s need for sufficient time to clean up the register and complete logistical preparations. Still, he insisted the electoral process “should, as much as possible, maximize participation rather than limit it.”
He rounded off his appeal with a call for balance: “I therefore urge INEC to adopt a registration timeline that protects the integrity of the process while ensuring that no eligible Nigerian, especially our young people, is unnecessarily disenfranchised.”
