YThe Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has removed more than 1.6 million invalid records from the preliminary voters’ register as part of efforts to strengthen the credibility of the 2027 general elections.

The commission has also identified 54 registration officials in 10 states for alleged involvement in irregularities during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this in Abuja during a briefing on the preliminary voters’ register.

He explained that the affected records comprised 1,608,660 invalid registrations identified through biometric verification and 873 records of deceased persons.

Amupitan said the commission subjected 11,088,238 registration records generated during the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercise to screening using its Automated Biometric Identification System.

The process uncovered suspected multiple registrations, manipulated photographs, unusual registration patterns and other discrepancies requiring further investigation.

The INEC chairman clarified that records flagged by the automated system were subjected to additional verification before being classified as invalid.

He added that the 54 officials identified across 10 states would face administrative investigations, with possible prosecution where sufficient evidence is established.

Amupitan maintained that the commission would continue to strengthen its registration and verification processes to prevent manipulation and ensure that only eligible Nigerians remain on the voters’ register.

He also assured Nigerians that the exercise was not intended to disenfranchise legitimate voters but to eliminate irregularities and improve the integrity of the electoral process.

The commission says the clean-up forms part of its preparations for the 2027 general elections.