The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned non-citizens against participating in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise across Nigeria.
Umar Ibrahim, the Bauchi State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), issued the warning on Thursday during an interactive session in Bauchi ahead of the commencement of Phase Two of the exercise in the state.
Ibrahim praised the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security for identifying a non-citizen who was mistakenly registered during Phase One, and lauded stakeholders for their cooperation.
“In particular, the Commission notes the role played by members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in identifying a non-citizen who was erroneously registered. The Commission has initiated the necessary statutory processes to rectify this anomaly in accordance with the law,” he said.
He urged all stakeholders to continue engaging in voter sensitisation, mobilisation, and public enlightenment to ensure that all eligible citizens register and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
“Voter registration remains the bedrock of the electoral process, which is why we convened this meeting to herald the resumption of Phase Two of the CVR in Bauchi State,” Ibrahim added.
Danladi Abdulkadir, representing the Controller of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Bauchi, reiterated that non-citizens are not allowed to vote or be voted for under any circumstance. He urged citizens to report any suspected non-citizens residing in their areas to the appropriate authorities.
Phase One of the CVR, conducted nationwide from August 18 to December 10, 2025, saw significant progress in Bauchi State. A total of 41,973 new voters were registered, comprising 22,188 males and 19,785 females. Additionally, 1,888 out of 37,658 previously uncollected PVCs were collected, leaving a balance of 35,770.
Other Phase One achievements included 5,298 voter record updates, 3,350 reviews, 5,847 transfers, 1,336 replacements of defaced PVCs, and the registration of 101 persons with disabilities.
Phase Two of the CVR began nationwide on January 5, 2026, and is scheduled to run until April 17, 2026.
Following a review of Phase One operations, INEC identified challenges including long distances to registration centres, overcrowding, security concerns, and difficult terrain in some local government areas. To address these issues, the Commission approved the rotation of Voter Enrolment Devices among Registration Areas within each LGA for 50 days, from February 2 to April 10, 2026. The final week will be conducted at the respective LGA offices.
INEC said the rotation schedules were designed based on the number of polling units, voter population, terrain, and anticipated turnout to ensure greater accessibility, efficiency, and inclusiveness in the registration process.
