The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned non-citizens to desist from participating in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise across the country.
The Bauchi State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Umar Ibrahim, gave the warning on Thursday during an interactive session held in Bauchi ahead of the commencement of Phase Two of the Continuous Voter Registration in the state.
Ibrahim, who commended the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security for identifying a non-citizen who was erroneously registered during the Phase I exercise, also lauded stakeholders for their cooperation throughout the period.
He said, “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 commenced the necessary statutory processes to rectify the anomaly in accordance with the law.
“As Phase II progresses, the Commission enjoins all stakeholders to continue to engage actively in voter sensitisation, mobilisation and public enlightenment, to ensure that all eligible citizens avail themselves of the opportunity to register and collect their Permanent Voter Cards.”
The REC noted that voter registration remains the bedrock of the electoral process, hence the need to convene the meeting to herald the resumption of Phase II of the CVR in Bauchi State.
Also speaking, the representative of the Controller of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Bauchi State, Danladi Abdulkadir, reiterated that no non-citizen, under any circumstance, is allowed to vote or be voted for in Nigeria.
He called on Nigerians to report any suspected non-citizens residing in any part of the country to the appropriate authorities for necessary action.
PUNCH Online gathered that Phase One of the CVR exercise was conducted between August 18 and December 10, 2025.
During the period, the commission recorded significant progress in voter registration, voter record management and Permanent Voter Card collection across Bauchi State.
A total of 41,973 new voters were registered, comprising 22,188 males and 19,785 females. Out of 37,658 uncollected PVCs from previous exercises, 1,888 were collected during Phase I, leaving a balance of 35,770.
The exercise also recorded 5,298 voter record updates, 3,350 reviews, 5,847 transfers and 1,336 replacements of defaced PVCs. In addition, 101 Persons with Disabilities were registered.
Phase Two of the CVR commenced nationwide on January 5, 2026 and is expected to run until April 17, 2026.
Following a review of operational reports and feedback from stakeholders, the commission identified challenges encountered during Phase I, including distance to registration centres, overcrowding, security concerns and difficult terrain in some local government areas.
