By BONIFACE AKARAH

The Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct an independent forensic audit of Nigeria’s voters’ register following allegations of underage registration, multiple registrations and fictitious voter entries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The human rights and public accountability organisation made the call in a statement issued on November 1, 2026, and signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor.

FENRAD said its concerns followed questions reportedly raised by Channels Television journalist, Seun Okinbaloye, during a broadcast of Politics Today about the integrity of the voters’ register.

The organisation, however, cautioned that the allegations required independent verification and should not be treated as established facts without credible evidence.

It said, “While FENRAD recognises that these allegations require independent verification and should not be treated as established facts without credible evidence, we consider them sufficiently serious to warrant immediate attention from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political stakeholders, civil society organisations and the Nigerian public.”

The group warned that any compromise in the voters’ register could undermine equal suffrage, distort electoral representation and weaken public confidence in the democratic process.

According to FENRAD, electoral credibility must be established long before election day through transparent institutions, reliable processes and an accurate voters’ database.

It urged INEC to facilitate an independent forensic examination of the register, focusing on suspicious entries, duplicate records, underage registrations and potentially fictitious identities.

The organisation also demanded that the commission publish comprehensive findings of its verification exercises, including identified irregularities, corrective measures and outstanding challenges.

FENRAD further called for stronger public verification mechanisms that would allow citizens, political parties, election observers and civil society organisations to participate in scrutinising the preliminary register, subject to privacy and data-protection safeguards.

On accountability, the group said electoral officials or other individuals found to have deliberately manipulated the register should face investigation and appropriate sanctions in accordance with the law.

It, however, warned that efforts to clean up the register must not lead to the wrongful removal of legitimate voters.

“The clean-up exercise must not become an avenue for arbitrarily deleting legitimate voters. Every affected individual must have access to fair verification, notification and an opportunity to challenge erroneous exclusions,” the organisation stated.

FENRAD also called for sustained engagement between INEC, civil society groups, professional bodies, election observers and other democratic institutions to strengthen transparency and public trust.

The organisation linked democratic accountability to broader governance and human rights concerns, arguing that communities depend on legitimate and responsive institutions to protect their environmental, social and economic interests.

It said: “Nigeria cannot afford another cycle of avoidable electoral controversies. The 2027 General Elections must be prepared through transparent processes, credible institutions and demonstrable accountability.”

The group urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, exercise their democratic rights responsibly and report credible evidence of electoral irregularities through lawful channels.

FENRAD maintained that the credibility of the 2027 elections must be demonstrated through concrete action, transparency and accountability.