Politics
Ibigbemi Petitions INEC Over Alleged 37,405 Voter Register Inflation
By Iyojo Ameh
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Yagba Federal Constituency, Hon. Seun Ibigbemi, has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged massive inflation of the voters’ register in Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Ibigbemi is demanding an urgent forensic audit of the register, alleging that thousands of fictitious and ineligible voters were introduced into the database through an organised scheme involving the alleged movement of registrants from neighbouring communities in Ekiti and Kogi states, as well as Kano State.
In the petition dated October 27, 2026, and received at the office of the INEC Chairman on October 28, the petitioner alleged that the number of registered voters in Yagba East increased from 53,436 in 2023 to 90,841 in the commission’s current records.
The increase represents 37,405 additional registered voters, or approximately 70 per cent growth in a single electoral cycle.
According to figures cited in the petition, Alu/Igbagun/Oranre Ward 4 recorded one of the most significant increases, rising from 7,746 registered voters in 2023 to 18,439 in the current register, representing an addition of 10,693.
Similarly, Ife-Olukotun Ward II reportedly increased from 3,891 to 8,560 voters, while Ife-Olukotun Ward I rose from 3,431 to 6,388.
The petitioner questioned the demographic basis for the increases, arguing that the figures appeared disproportionate to the population of the affected agrarian communities when compared with Isanlu, the headquarters and major population centre of Yagba East.
He alleged that the unusual growth was facilitated by the transportation of people from Omuo-Ekiti in Ekiti State, Iyamoye in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State and Kano State for registration in the affected wards.
Ibigbemi further claimed that some of the alleged registrants already had voter registrations in their places of origin, raising concerns about possible multiple registration and the inclusion of people without legitimate connections to the communities.
The petition described the alleged development as an attempt to manipulate the electoral process and undermine the voting strength of genuine residents of Yagba East.
Among the demands presented to INEC is the immediate deployment of its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to conduct a comprehensive examination of the voter database and identify possible duplicate registrations.
The petitioner also called for physical verification of voters in Alu/Igbagun/Oranre Ward 4 and Ife-Olukotun Wards I and II to establish the authenticity of the registrations and determine whether the individuals genuinely reside in the communities.
He urged the commission to investigate the alleged transportation of registrants from outside the local government area and refer anyone found culpable to the appropriate security and law enforcement agencies for prosecution.
Ibigbemi also called for the removal of entries established to be fraudulent or duplicated and insisted that the register should be cleaned before the 2027 general elections.
The controversy comes amid wider concerns over irregularities in Nigeria’s preliminary voters’ register ahead of the next general elections.
INEC has acknowledged concerns over questionable entries in the preliminary register published in October and said it was reviewing flagged records as part of its data-cleaning process.
The commission has maintained that the preliminary register is not the final certified voters’ list, explaining that the display, claims and objections exercise is designed to enable citizens and stakeholders identify errors and irregularities before certification.
INEC has scheduled December 15, 2026, for the certification of the final Register of Voters.
The allegations involving Yagba East have not been independently established by the commission, and no official finding has been announced confirming that voters were imported or that the affected registrations were fraudulent.
Ibigbemi is urging INEC to investigate the petition, conduct a forensic examination of the affected wards and ensure that only eligible voters are retained on the register ahead of the 2027 elections.
