By Chimezie Godfrey
The Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise until at least 90 days before the 2027 general elections, warning that an early closure could disenfranchise millions of eligible Nigerians.
The coalition also called on the electoral body to abolish the compulsory use of email addresses for voter registration, arguing that the requirement could exclude many Nigerians without access to smartphones or internet services.
In a letter submitted to the INEC Chairman at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, COPDEM said its demand was anchored on the Federal High Court judgment delivered on November 22, 2022, in the case of Anaja Salmat & 3 Others v. INEC, which held that voter registration should continue until 90 days before a general election to safeguard citizens’ constitutional right to vote.
The coalition maintained that ending the exercise months before the constitutional deadline would undermine the credibility and inclusiveness of the 2027 elections.
According to COPDEM National Chairman, Rwang Pam Jr, many Nigerians remain unable to register because of insecurity, displacement, poverty, inadequate registration centres, poor internet connectivity, transportation challenges and low voter awareness.
He added that many youths who would attain voting age before the 2027 elections, as well as Nigerians expected to return from abroad before the polls, should not be denied the opportunity to participate in the electoral process.
“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,” Pam said.
The coalition urged INEC to keep the Continuous Voter Registration exercise open until about October 18, 2026, publish a comprehensive registration timetable, expand registration centres through fixed and mobile units, especially in rural communities and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, intensify voter education campaigns and adopt measures to prevent the disenfranchisement of first-time voters.
On the mandatory email requirement, COPDEM argued that making email registration compulsory could exclude millions of eligible voters, particularly those in rural communities, low-income households and elderly citizens who rely on basic mobile phones and have limited internet access.
The coalition said access to digital technology should not become a condition for exercising the constitutional right to vote, urging INEC to make the email field optional.
“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 said its intervention was aimed at ensuring free, fair, credible and inclusive elections in 2027, expressing confidence that full compliance with the Federal High Court judgment would strengthen public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process.