Amadi Critiques INEC for Early Voter Registration Closure

Sam Amadi, the Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its decision to close the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) ahead of the 2027 general elections. In an interview on Arise Television on Sunday, Amadi stated that voter registration should remain open until one month before the election.

He described the closure of voter registration nearly seven months before the election as unreasonable, emphasizing that it prevents many young Nigerians who turn 18 before Election Day from registering to vote. This situation effectively denies them the opportunity to participate in the electoral process until the next election cycle.

Amadi acknowledged that while INEC has made significant improvements, it still operates with outdated processes. He urged eligible Nigerians to take advantage of the final opportunity to register or update their voter records before the CVR exercise closed on Sunday, July 26.