Prof. Joash Amupitan, chairman of the [Independent National Electoral Commission](https://www.inecnigeria.org/), instructed a review of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) records in Nigeria’s South‑East and ordered the removal of all obstacles to Permanent Voter Card (PVC) distribution ahead of the 2027 general election, he announced in Enugu on Tuesday.
**Key facts**
- The National Register of Voters now exceeds 103 million citizens.
- Three CVR phases registered a combined 10,772,421 new voters: Phase I (25 Aug 2025 – 10 Dec 2025) added 2,611,266, Phase II (5 Jan 2026 – 17 Apr 2026) added 4,121,835, and Phase III (11 May 2026 – 26 Jul 2026) added 3,867,997.
- The third phase introduced Nigeria’s first Online Registration Portal, a digital tool aimed at eliminating distance‑related barriers.
- Printable PVC technology, activated under Section 18(1) of the [Electoral Act 2026](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_Act_(Nigeria)), is expected to end months‑long waiting periods for card collection.
- A final deduplication check using the [Automated Biometric Identification System](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_Biometric_Identification_System) (ABIS) will be performed at INEC’s National Headquarters.
What did the chairman say?
"Our primary operational focus in the South‑East is to review our local CVR records and dismantle every bottleneck affecting PVC distribution," Amupitan declared, emphasizing that no eligible citizen should be disenfranchised by administrative or logistical friction.
Why is the Enugu visit significant?
The Enugu meeting marked the third stop on INEC’s nationwide readiness‑assessment tour, following Lagos on 7 Sept 2026 and Kaduna on 28 Sept 2026. Amupitan noted that no INEC chairman had visited the Enugu office since 1999, breaking a two‑decade tradition of remote governance.
How will the 2027 election be conducted?
Amupitan reminded officials that the 2027 poll will be a simultaneous, national exercise across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, involving over 103 million registered voters and 176,846 polling units. He warned that the statutory timeline is fixed and the clock is ticking.
What message was given to voters?
"INEC is not the chairman in Abuja; INEC is you," he told voters in both rural wards and urban centres, expressing confidence that the commission is equipped to deliver a credible election. "The road to 2027 passes through our hands, and we shall not falter," he concluded.
The directive underscores INEC’s commitment to streamline voter registration, leverage technology, and ensure that every eligible Nigerian can cast a ballot without undue delay.