The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has strongly refuted recent claims suggesting a widespread loss of public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system, describing such assertions as unfounded and not supported by verifiable data.
Over the past few weeks, several civil society and religious organisations have expressed concerns over what they perceive as growing disillusionment among Nigerians regarding the electoral process. However, INEC maintains that actual participation data tells a different story.
Responding to these criticisms in a statement on Sunday, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, told PUNCH Online that recent voter engagement levels—particularly in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise—indicate sustained public trust in the system.
“The notion that Nigerians have lost confidence in the electoral process is more myth than reality. Those advancing this claim lack credible evidence to support it,” Oyekanmi stated.
High Voter Participation Reflects Confidence
Oyekanmi cited the high volume of participation, especially among young Nigerians, in the current CVR exercise as a clear sign of faith in the democratic process.
“The enthusiastic participation in the voter registration exercise, which began on August 18 with online pre-registration, is a strong indicator that citizens still believe in the electoral system,” he said.
INEC launched the latest phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) on August 18, 2025, allowing eligible Nigerians to pre-register online before completing their registration in person at designated centres.
Within the first seven hours of launching the portal (by 3:30 p.m. the same day), 69,376 Nigerians had already pre-registered—comprising 33,803 males (48.7%) and 35,573 females (51.3%).
By August 24, just six days later, 1,379,342 individuals had completed their online pre-registration. That number surged to 2,532,062 by September 1, and by September 21, the total had reached 5,385,060—just five weeks into the exercise.
Physical (in-person) registration began on August 25, and in the first week alone, 72,274 people had either completed their registration or registered entirely in person.
By September 19, the fourth week of in-person registration, 399,162 online registrants had completed the process, while 365,533 people completed physical registrations, bringing the total number of completed registrations to 764,695 within one month.
“No other African country has recorded these levels of voter registration within a single month,” Oyekanmi asserted.
Compliance with Electoral Act 2022
He also reminded registrants that in-person completion is a legal requirement under the Electoral Act 2022.
“All pre-registered voters must appear physically at their chosen centres to complete their registration by capturing biometrics and other details, in line with Sections 9(7) and 10(2) of the Electoral Act,” he noted.
2023 General Election Shows Democratic Progress
Reflecting on the 2023 general election, Oyekanmi highlighted the diversity of outcomes as a testament to the health of Nigeria’s democracy.
“The 2023 general election produced the most diverse National Assembly since the return to democracy in 1999,” he stated.
In the Senate, seven political parties won seats:
All Progressives Congress (APC) – 59
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – 36
Labour Party (LP) – 8
New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) – 2
Social Democratic Party (SDP) – 2
All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) – 1
Young Progressives Party (YPP) – 1
In the House of Representatives, eight parties were represented:
APC – 177
PDP – 117
LP – 35
NNPP – 19
APGA – 5
African Democratic Congress (ADC) – 2
SDP – 2
YPP – 2
Oyekanmi added that this trend continued at the state level, with nine political parties winning seats in various State Houses of Assembly. Gubernatorial victories were also spread across four parties: APC (16 states), PDP (10), LP (1), and NNPP (1).
“Even the most recent bye-elections demonstrate that Nigerians continue to engage with the electoral process and trust its outcomes,” he emphasized.
Critics Urged to Be Consistent
Oyekanmi also called out what he described as “inconsistencies” among INEC’s harshest critics.
“Ironically, some of the strongest critics of INEC are the same voices advocating for electoral reform, including the transfer of local government election responsibilities to INEC. They cannot walk on both sides of the road,” he said.
In conclusion, INEC maintains that the data, diversity, and active participation observed in recent electoral exercises all point to a resilient democracy—one that continues to enjoy the trust of the Nigerian people.
