TD Abuja, Nigeria — The Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
COPDEM also urged INEC to fully comply with a Federal High Court judgment directing that voter registration remain open until at least 90 days before the 2027 General Elections.
The coalition made the request in a statement issued on Thursday after submitting a formal letter to the INEC Chairman at the commission’s headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
It argued that ending the registration exercise months before the constitutional deadline could disenfranchise millions of eligible Nigerians and weaken the credibility of the 2027 elections.
COPDEM cited the judgment delivered on November 22, 2022, in Anaja Salmat & 3 Others v. INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/2022).
In the judgment, the Federal High Court held that voter registration should continue until 90 days before a general election to safeguard the constitutional voting rights of eligible citizens.
According to the coalition, the court ruled that prematurely closing voter registration could amount to an unreasonable exercise of INEC’s powers where a significant number of eligible Nigerians remain unregistered.
Coalition Warns Against Voter Disenfranchisement
COPDEM expressed concern that many Nigerians remain unable to register due to insecurity, displacement, poverty, inadequate registration centres, poor internet connectivity, transportation challenges and insufficient voter education.
The organisation also noted that many young Nigerians will attain voting age before the 2027 elections.
Meanwhile, citizens currently living abroad are expected to return home before the polls and should not be denied the opportunity to participate in the electoral process.
COPDEM’s Demands to INEC
The coalition urged INEC to:
- Keep the Continuous Voter Registration exercise open until approximately October 18, 2026, which it said is 90 days before the scheduled January 16, 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
- Publish a comprehensive voter registration timetable consistent with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 and the Federal High Court judgment.
- Expand registration opportunities by establishing more fixed and mobile registration centres, particularly in rural communities and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
- Intensify nationwide voter education and public awareness campaigns.
- Take administrative measures to ensure first-time voters and other eligible citizens are not disenfranchised.
“The Right to Vote Begins With the Right to Register”
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, COPDEM National Chairman Rwang Pam Jr. said democracy can only flourish when every eligible citizen has equal access to voter registration.
“Democracy is strengthened when every eligible citizen has an equal opportunity to vote.
“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,” he said.
COPDEM Opposes Mandatory Email Requirement
In a related appeal, COPDEM also called on INEC to immediately remove the mandatory requirement for applicants to provide an email address during the voter registration process.
The coalition argued that making an email address compulsory could exclude millions of Nigerians who either do not own smartphones or lack active email accounts.
This is particularly so with those in rural communities, low-income households and elderly populations.
According to COPDEM, access to voter registration should not depend on digital literacy or internet access.
It warned that such a requirement risks widening existing inequalities in electoral participation.
The organisation, therefore, urged INEC to make the email field optional to ensure that every eligible Nigerian, regardless of technological access, can register to vote.
“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.
Commitment to Inclusive Elections
COPDEM said its intervention was motivated by the need to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy and ensure that the 2027 General Elections are free, fair, credible and inclusive.
The coalition expressed confidence that full compliance with the Federal High Court judgment, alongside expanded voter registration opportunities, would strengthen public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process and encourage broader democratic participation.
