THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it had removed 1,608, 660 invalid registrants, as well as a total of 876 voters, who have been verified as deceased, from the voter register.
Chairman of the Commission, Joash Amupitan, who disclosed this at a press briefing on Monday, November 9, explained that the decision was part of ongoing clean-up exercise, following claims, objections and complaints that trailed its display of the preliminary voter register last month.
There was public outcry and many, including civil society organisations (CSOs), questioned the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated photos and retention of identified names of some dead voters on the register, leading to calls for explanation and thorough clean up of the register, even as many Nigerians, especially the opposition political parties and politicians accused the Commission of alleged manipulation and plans to rig next year’s general elections.
The electoral umpire later admitted the errors and vowed to clean up the register.
Amupitan announced that INEC would publish the cleaned-up voter register on December 16, as required by the electoral law.
