The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has responded to concerns from opposition parties over the voter registration numbers in the South-West region during the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Labour Party (LP) expressed doubts about the accuracy of the figures, particularly in Osun State, which reportedly saw nearly 400,000 pre-registrations in just one week.

ADC’s Acting National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the numbers did not match historical patterns or population trends.

He explained that between 2019 and 2023, Osun State added only 275,815 new voters in four years, yet it allegedly registered 393,269 people in just seven days this year.

The Labour Party also criticized the data. Its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Tony Akeni, urged Nigerians to be alert, claiming that INEC’s reports of registering prisoners were false and warning that upcoming elections could be more fraudulent than previous ones.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) defended INEC, saying the ADC’s concerns were exaggerated.

APGA spokesperson Ejimofor Opara expressed confidence in the commission, stating that INEC would ensure everyone is included in the voter registration process.

The Osun State chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) reacted more cautiously.

The PDP called the figures “alarming” but suggested it might indicate increased voter interest, while the APC said only INEC could clarify the numbers.

INEC, however, stood by its data. Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the figures were consistent with past registration patterns and dismissed the opposition’s claims as false.

Oyekanmi pointed out that during the 2021 online registration exercise, Osun State also recorded high registration numbers, peaking at over 700,000.Good morning

He reminded that all online pre-registrants still need to complete their in-person biometric verification, which prevents duplicate registrations.

He added that INEC would continue providing verified updates on both online and in-person voter registration, encouraging the public to rely on official information rather than speculation.