The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has described as unacceptable the increasing number of underaged Nigerians attempting to register during the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
Dr Mutiu Agboke, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun State, made this known while speaking on The Dialogue, a radio programme aired on Dynasty 89.9 FM in Oyo.
Agboke reaffirmed that only Nigerians who are 18 years and above are eligible to register, stating that any attempt to register underage individuals constitutes a criminal offence.
“We have been seeing numbers of teeming underage Nigerians attempting to register in the ongoing registration exercise, but we have made it clear that they will not be allowed,” Agboke said.
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He further warned that encouraging minors to register in anticipation of them reaching the legal voting age by the 2027 general elections is not only illegal but also punishable.
The Osun INEC boss commended citizens and stakeholders for mobilising eligible voters but called for collective efforts to curb the trend of underage registration.
“It is illegal for anyone to encourage underage registration or those below 18 years of age to register. We won’t accept it under any guise,” he stressed.
Speaking on allegations regarding inflated registration figures in Osun, Agboke dismissed them as “baseless and unfounded”, attributing the high turnout to early preparations, voter sensitisation, and robust mobilisation efforts by INEC.
He also assured that the commission is fully prepared to conduct a free, fair, and credible 2026 governorship election in Osun State.
