The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected allegations that registered voters in parts of Lagos State were denied access to the voters’ register, insisting that the documents were made available across all 245 electoral wards.
The commission issued the clarification on Thursday, October 15, 2026, following a television report questioning whether the register had been properly displayed at some Registration Area Centres in Alimosho and Shomolu local government areas.
Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Ayobami Salami, maintained that the exercise covered every ward in the state, including those mentioned in the report.
His position was communicated through a statement signed by Esther Emeh, Head of INEC’s Voter Education and Publicity Department in Lagos.
INEC Rejects Allegations Over Lagos Voters’ Register
According to the electoral commission, the suggestion that the register was unavailable in parts of Alimosho and Shomolu did not accurately represent how the exercise was conducted.
INEC maintained that its officials carried out the display across the state’s 245 Registration Areas, also known as electoral wards.
The commission said the two affected local government areas were included in the exercise and rejected suggestions that their registration centres had been excluded.
Salami urged Lagos residents to seek reliable election information through INEC’s official communication channels rather than rely on reports the commission considers inaccurate.
He also called on journalists and media organisations to confirm electoral information carefully before publication, noting that public confidence in elections depends partly on accurate reporting.
ARISE News Maintains Its Report Was Accurate
The disagreement followed a report aired on ARISE News during its What’s Trending programme on Thursday morning.
The broadcaster questioned whether the voters’ register had been properly made available for public inspection at certain centres in Lagos.
In a subsequent response to INEC’s denial, ARISE News maintained that its original findings came from checks conducted on the ground.
The broadcaster said that when its team checked on Tuesday, October 13, the INEC online portal indicated that preliminary registers were unavailable for display.
It also reported that access in an area of Alimosho was restricted to specific hours and that residents could inspect only their individual records upon request.
ARISE News argued that this arrangement did not meet the standard of open public access required for scrutiny of the register.
The broadcaster acknowledged that INEC might have addressed the problems after its checks but maintained that its observations were legitimate.
The conflicting accounts have raised questions about the difference between making voter information available on request and displaying the register openly for public inspection.
Why INEC Is Displaying the Voters’ Register
The controversy comes during preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The register display exercise began in Lagos on October 9, with the state commission announcing October 15 as the deadline for residents to verify their information.
The process allows registered voters to examine their details, identify mistakes and raise concerns about names that may have been wrongly included or omitted.
Public inspection of the register is an important part of election preparations because errors in voter records can create difficulties during accreditation and voting.
The exercise is provided for under Section 19 of the Electoral Act 2026, which sets out requirements for public scrutiny of voter information before elections.
Lagos Has More Than 7.4 Million Registered Voters
INEC’s latest figures place Lagos at the top of Nigeria’s voter register, with 7,488,633 registered voters ahead of the 2027 elections.
The state has 20 constitutionally recognised local government areas, 245 electoral wards and 13,325 polling units, according to figures released by the Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner.
Managing voter records across such a large electorate requires coordination between INEC officials, registration centres and communities.
Earlier in the week, Salami announced the introduction of Quick Response (QR) codes intended to help residents locate centres where they could verify their registration details.
The commission also disclosed that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards had started at designated centres across the state’s local government areas.
However, cards for some people who registered during the January-to-July 2026 exercise were not yet available, with INEC promising further information about their collection.
INEC Reaffirms Commitment to Credible Elections
Responding to the latest disagreement, INEC said it remained committed to transparent electoral procedures and reliable public communication.
The commission maintained that voters should have access to accurate information about registration, verification and other election preparations.
The dispute nevertheless highlights the importance of ensuring that electoral information is not only available but also accessible to citizens in the manner required by law.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, clear public notices, functioning verification systems and consistent access to registration records will remain important to voter confidence.
While INEC maintains that the register was displayed throughout Lagos, ARISE News continues to stand by its observations about access at certain locations.
The competing accounts have not been conclusively resolved through an independent assessment of the affected registration centres.
