INEC Defends Osun Voter Registration Figures

The Independent National Electoral Commission has dismissed claims that the number of new voter pre-registrations in Osun State is suspicious.

The commission said the data reflects a trend seen in previous registration exercises and is not unusual.

The issue began after a political party questioned why Osun had the highest number of online registrants since the new portal opened on August 18, 2025. Within one week of the exercise, more than 1.3 million Nigerians had registered, with Osun alone recording 393,269, well ahead of Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory.

INEC explained that Osun has consistently recorded high numbers in past voter registration drives. During the 2021 online registration, the state topped the chart from the first weeks of the exercise. It registered 154,893 people by the second week, 232,880 by the third week, and over 400,000 by the eleventh week. By April 2022, Osun had registered more than 700,000 people, leading the country once again.

The commission also noted that the current process is in two phases. Citizens first pre-register online and then must visit a registration centre to complete the process with biometric data. This step is designed to confirm identity and prevent multiple registrations.

INEC said it has always maintained transparency in the registration process by publishing weekly updates. During the 2021–2022 Continuous Voter Registration, the commission made the data public at every stage and invited citizens to review the preliminary register to identify errors or ineligible names.

To further strengthen the process, the Automated Biometric Identification System is used to detect double entries. This system helped the commission clean the register before both the 2019 and 2023 elections. More than 14 million new voters were added before 2019 and over 9 million before 2023, bringing the register to more than 93 million voters.

The commission has assured Nigerians that it will continue to provide regular updates on the ongoing registration. It urged political parties and the public to rely on official data rather than speculation, stressing that its responsibility is to ensure that only eligible citizens are added to the register.