FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Abuja, Nigeria – 21 July 2026
Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately align the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court by keeping voter registration open until at least 90 days before the 2027 General Elections.
In a formal letter submitted to the Chairman of INEC at the commission’s Headquarters at Maitama, Abuja, COPDEM reminded the electoral body of the landmark judgment delivered on 22 November 2022 in Anaja Salmat & 3 Ors v. INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/2022), where the Federal High Court declared that voter registration should continue until 90 days before a general election to guarantee the constitutional voting rights of eligible Nigerians. The Court further held that prematurely ending voter registration amounts to an unreasonable exercise of INEC’s powers where millions of eligible citizens remain unregistered.
COPDEM warned that closing the registration exercise months ahead of the constitutional deadline would deny millions of Nigerians the opportunity to participate in the 2027 General Elections and undermine the inclusiveness and credibility of Nigeria’s democratic process.
The coalition noted that many Nigerians are still unable to register due to insecurity, displacement, poverty, inadequate registration centres, poor internet access, transportation challenges and lack of voter education. It also observed that many young Nigerians will attain the voting age before the 2027 elections, while thousands of citizens living abroad are expected to return home before the polls and should not be excluded from exercising their civic rights.
Accordingly, COPDEM called on INEC to:
Maintain the Continuous Voter Registration exercise until approximately 18 October 2026, being 90 days before the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for 16 January 2027.
Publish a clear and comprehensive CVR timetable consistent with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the Federal High Court judgment.
Expand registration through additional fixed and mobile registration centres, especially in rural communities and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
Intensify nationwide voter education and public awareness campaigns to ensure that every eligible Nigerian is informed and encouraged to register.
Take all necessary administrative measures to prevent the disenfranchisement of first-time voters and other eligible citizens.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, COPDEM National Chairman Rwang Pam Jr stated:
“Democracy is strengthened when every eligible citizen has an equal opportunity to vote. The right to vote begins with the right to register. INEC must comply with both the Constitution and the judgment of the Federal High Court by ensuring that no Nigerian is denied that fundamental democratic right through the premature closure of voter registration.”
In a related development, COPDEM has also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately remove the compulsory requirement for an email address during the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. The coalition expressed concern that making an email address mandatory could disenfranchise millions of otherwise eligible Nigerians who neither own smartphones nor have functional email accounts. According to COPDEM, the right to register and vote is a constitutional right that should not be made dependent on access to digital technology.
COPDEM questioned how INEC intends to conduct an inclusive general election in 2027 while imposing a requirement that may exclude a significant segment of the population from the registration process. The coalition cited findings published by Technology Times, based on Research ICT Africa’s survey, indicating that approximately 72% of Nigerian adults do not own smartphones, highlighting the country’s persistent digital divide.
The organisation stressed that many Nigerians, particularly those in rural communities, low-income households, and among the elderly, rely on basic mobile phones or have limited access to the internet and digital services. Requiring a functional email address as a condition for voter registration, COPDEM argued, creates an unnecessary barrier to electoral participation.
COPDEM therefore urged INEC to review the registration process without delay by making the email field optional rather than compulsory, thereby ensuring that every eligible Nigerian can register to vote regardless of digital access or technological literacy.
“This concern deserves urgent attention. Electoral inclusion must not be sacrificed on the altar of digital exclusion. Every eligible Nigerian should have an equal opportunity to register and vote, whether or not they own a smartphone or maintain an email account,” the coalition stated.
COPDEM reiterated that its appeal is driven solely by the national interest and the need to guarantee free, fair, credible and inclusive elections in 2027. The coalition expressed confidence that full compliance with the Federal High Court judgment will reinforce public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process and deepen democratic participation across the country.
Signed
Rwang Pam Jr
National Chairman
Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM)
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