INEC response to Osun voter registration confirms figures follow past trends and warns political actors against spreading misleading information
The INEC response to Osun voter registration has dismissed claims made by a political party suggesting the figures recently recorded in the state are unrealistic.
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In a statement on Thursday, Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, said the concerns were unfounded and failed to reflect previous trends.
“Nothing can be further from the truth,” the statement said, referring to the accusations that Osun’s numbers go against demographic realities.
INEC launched its new online pre-registration portal on August 18, 2025, followed by in-person verification on August 25.
In just one week, over 1.3 million Nigerians registered online — with Osun State leading at 393,269 registrations.
The commission explained that Osun’s lead is consistent with the 2021 voter registration exercise, where it also topped the charts from the start.
By the eleventh week in 2021, Osun had over 400,000 online pre-registrants, and by April 2022, it had more than 700,000 completed registrations, the highest among all states.
“Historical data clearly shows Osun’s early participation has always been strong,” Oyekanmi said.
INEC stressed that all online pre-registrations must be completed at physical centers, where biometric data is captured.
The commission uses this step — along with its Automated Biometric Identification System — to detect duplicates and confirm eligibility.
After previous voter registration cycles, over 14 million new voters were added ahead of the 2019 general election, and 9.4 million before the 2023 elections.
The total number of voters for 2023 stood at 93,469,008.
The commission regularly publishes data and displays preliminary registers to allow for public corrections and objections.
INEC advised political parties and individuals to avoid speculation and instead review publicly available data before making public statements.
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“We are committed to transparency. Our records are open and accurate,” Oyekanmi said. “Citizens should rely on verified information, not assumptions.”
