Janet Samuel
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed concerns raised by a political party over the surge in online voter pre-registration figures recorded in Osun State, insisting that the trend is consistent with past exercises.
In a statement on Thursday, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said claims that the number of pre-registrants in Osun “defies historical patterns and demographic realities” are unfounded.
According to him, the Commission opened the online Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) portal on August 18, 2025, followed by physical registration on August 25. Within the first week, 1,379,342 Nigerians had pre-registered online, with Osun State leading at 393,269, ahead of Lagos with 222,205 and the Federal Capital Territory with 107,682.
“Osun State’s dominance is not new. When INEC launched online pre-registration for the first time in June 2021, the state consistently led the figures until the end of the exercise in April 2022, when it recorded 708,782 pre-registrations, the highest in the country,” Oyekanmi explained.
He emphasized that online pre-registration is only the first step, as all applicants must still appear in person for biometric capture at designated centres. INEC, he noted, also applies its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to detect and eliminate cases of multiple registration.
Oyekanmi recalled that during the 2021/2022 CVR, over 9.4 million new voters were added to the National Register of Voters after due diligence, increasing the total figure to 93,469,008 ahead of the 2023 general election.
“INEC’s role is not to speculate on why one state records higher numbers than others, but to ensure that only real and eligible Nigerians are on the register in line with constitutional provisions and the Electoral Act,” he said.
The Commission urged political parties and stakeholders to refrain from spreading unverified claims and assured the public that it would continue to provide regular updates on the ongoing voter registration exercise.
