ADC Questions INEC’s Report on Continuous Voter Registration Amid Unbelievable Figures
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed serious doubts regarding the recent data published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) concerning the initial week of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. The party labeled the statistics as “highly improbable,” particularly highlighting the numbers emerging from Osun State.
Osun State’s Registration Numbers Defy Historical Trends
According to ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the reported figure of nearly 400,000 new voter registrations in Osun State within a single week starkly contradicts both past registration trends and demographic expectations. To illustrate, Osun State added only 275,815 new voters over the entire four-year period from 2019 to 2023. This sudden surge suggests that the state registered more voters in seven days than it did in the previous four years combined.
Disproportionate Regional Distribution Raises Red Flags
Further scrutiny reveals that the South-West geopolitical zone accounts for an overwhelming 67% of all pre-registrations nationwide, with Osun, Lagos, and Ogun states alone contributing over half (54.2%) of the total. In stark contrast, the South-East region recorded a mere 1,998 pre-registrations, and five states-Ebonyi, Imo, Enugu, Abia, and Adamawa-combined for just 0.2% of the national total. The North East accounted for only 6.1%, highlighting a glaring imbalance in voter registration activity across regions.
Potential Technical Issues or Data Manipulation?
The ADC described these figures as “fantastic” in a skeptical tone, suggesting that they could either be the result of a technical malfunction within INEC’s digital registration platform or indicative of deliberate data tampering. The party emphasized that such irregularities, if unaddressed, could severely undermine public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system.
Call for Transparency and Forensic Audit
Highlighting the voter register as the cornerstone of credible elections, the ADC urged INEC to conduct a comprehensive forensic audit of the first-week registration data. This audit should include a detailed state-by-state breakdown of both physical and online registrations. Additionally, the party demanded the release of server logs, bandwidth usage statistics, and regional access reports related to the registration portal during the period in question.
Unified Demand for Accountability from Political and Civil Society Actors
The ADC appealed to all opposition parties to set aside political differences and collectively seek clarity from INEC regarding these anomalies. It also called on election observers, fact-checkers, and legal advocacy groups to independently verify the data and hold the electoral commission accountable.
International Community’s Role in Safeguarding Electoral Integrity
Recognizing the global interest in Nigeria’s democratic processes, the ADC invited international organizations such as the United Nations, African Union, ECOWAS, and Nigeria’s democratic partners to monitor these developments closely. The party stressed that the legitimacy of the 2027 elections hinges on the accuracy and integrity of the voter register established now.
Protecting Democracy Requires Immediate Action
“Ignoring these discrepancies would be tantamount to complicity,” the ADC warned. The party reminded Nigerians of the destabilizing effects that flawed voter rolls and technical glitches have had in previous elections. It concluded by emphasizing that unresolved questions about the voter register threaten not only political stability but national security, urging prompt and transparent action from INEC.
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