The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ruled out any further extension of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ahead of the 2027 general election, despite calls from opposition parties and civil society organisations.

INEC’s Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Wilfred Ifogah, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, stating that the commission could no longer accommodate additional registration.

He expressed regret to eligible Nigerians who were unable to register before the exercise ended on Sunday, saying the commission had no option but to close the process.

“So we just have to stop the exercise. So for those who are unable to meet up, I’ll say we are sorry; there’s nothing we can do for now,” Ifogah said.

INEC had earlier extended the registration exercise by two weeks following appeals from political parties, civil society groups and other stakeholders.

However, Ifogah explained that even the additional two weeks had increased pressure on the commission’s preparations for the 2027 elections.

“Even the extension by two weeks we gave is going to put us under pressure as a commission in preparing the register before the election.

“From our timetable and activities, we need about 75 days or more to prepare the register after the registration exercise closes,” he added.

The electoral commission maintained that ending the registration exercise was necessary to allow sufficient time to compile and prepare a credible voters’ register ahead of the general election.