The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has allegedly created additional polling units ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to reports, the commission entered 453 new polling units into its database without public announcement or consultation with key electoral stakeholders.
The development came to light after SaharaReporters reportedly obtained an official document indicating that the commission had created the additional polling units, bringing the national total from 176,846 to 177,299.
According to the report, Delta State’s polling units increased from 5,863 during the last general elections to 6,316.
However, an INEC source who spoke to SaharaReporters claimed that the commission had not publicly disclosed the exercise and was still maintaining that Nigeria had 176,846 polling units.
The source also alleged that some senior officials and staff of the commission were unaware of the development.
The source demanded that INEC explain when the 453 polling units were created, where they are located, and the reasons behind the decision.
It argued that although the commission has the legal power to establish polling units, such decisions must be taken openly and in line with established procedures.
Section 40(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 empowers INEC to establish adequate polling units in every registration area or electoral ward and allocate voters to them.
However, the source maintained that the provision does not give the commission the right to make major changes to the country’s electoral structure without public accountability.
The source warned that polling unit creation is not just an administrative exercise, as it could have political, geographical, social and cultural effects, including the possibility of disputes among communities.
“The exercise of such powers must be guided by objective criteria, transparent procedures, demographic considerations and meaningful engagement with relevant stakeholders,” the source said.
The source also questioned why the commission appeared to have departed from the process it followed in 2021 when it created 56,872 additional polling units.
At the time, INEC increased the national total from 119,974 to 176,846 after consultations with stakeholders and technical assessments across the country.
In its announcement on June 16, 2021, the commission explained that the additional units were created by converting existing voting points and voting point settlements into full polling units.
The then INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, said the exercise followed wide consultations with stakeholders and fieldwork by commission officials.
INEC’s report on the 2023 general elections also documented the consultations and fieldwork carried out before the expansion.
Questioning the alleged latest exercise, the source asked why the commission appeared to have abandoned the transparency and consultation principles it previously described as important to polling unit expansion.
The source also warned against linking the restoration of previously suppressed state constituencies to the alleged creation of additional polling units.
According to the source, the restored constituencies already had polling units before the 2023 general elections.
It argued that their restoration should be handled through proper boundary adjustments and other electoral arrangements rather than being used as a reason to create additional polling units without publicly disclosing their locations, identification codes and approval records.
The source added that restoring constituencies does not automatically require the creation of new polling units.
INEC Asked To Publish Details Of 453 Units
The source called on INEC to immediately release full details of the 453 alleged polling units.
It said the information should include their locations, identification codes, wards, local government areas and dates of creation.
It also demanded that the commission disclose the reasons for creating the units, the officials who approved the exercise and the administrative documents authorising it.
The source further asked INEC to explain whether political parties, traditional institutions, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders were consulted before the exercise.
It warned that keeping such information away from the public could further damage confidence in the commission, especially following the controversy surrounding suspected AI-generated photographs on its preliminary voters’ register.
“INEC cannot reasonably expect public confidence while keeping consequential administrative decisions beyond public scrutiny,” the source said.
The source added that the commission must establish whether the additional units exist, when they were created and the electoral purpose they are meant to serve.
It also warned that Nigerians would expect clear explanations from the electoral body as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
The commission had yet to respond to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
The alleged creation of the additional units has since raised questions about transparency and accountability at the electoral body, particularly as it faces criticism over suspicious photographs on its preliminary Register of Voters.
The said photographs were suspected to have been generated with artificial intelligence on several voter profiles published on the commission’s website.
It is worth noting that INEC had acknowledged concerns over the suspicious photographs and said it had started reviewing the affected records.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the commission’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC said it was investigating possible technical or procedural lapses and would take necessary action based on verified findings.
“The Commission is also examining the circumstances surrounding the suspicious photographs, including possible technical or procedural lapses, and will take appropriate action based on verified findings,” the commission said.
INEC also explained that the online publication of the preliminary register did not include all ongoing data-cleaning activities.
The commission said the final certified Register of Voters would be released on December 15, 2026.
Meanwhile, INEC has announced plans to use artificial intelligence tools for result verification and cybersecurity ahead of the 2027 elections. The plan has also attracted criticism from some political stakeholders.
The allegation over the 453 additional polling units raises a separate concern about the transparency of INEC’s administrative decisions and the accuracy of information available to the public on the country’s electoral structure.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the source insisted that INEC must explain the alleged exercise and make the relevant documents available.
The source maintained that public confidence in elections depends not only on assurances from the commission but also on its willingness to disclose decisions that could affect voter access and the conduct of elections.
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