The concerns have intensified calls for the electoral commission to explain its registration and polling-unit administration processes, with critics warning that unresolved discrepancies could undermine public confidence in the elections.
The controversy gained further attention after former Kogi West Senator and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Dino Melaye, raised the issues during an interview on Arise Television.
Melaye alleged that INEC had secretly created 453 additional polling units while continuing to publicly quote the existing figure of 176,846 polling units nationwide.
He questioned why the alleged additions were not openly disclosed to political parties and other relevant stakeholders, arguing that changes to the country's electoral infrastructure should be transparent.
“INEC cannot create polling units in secrecy,” Melaye said.
He also questioned the alleged concentration of some new polling units in particular locations and demanded an explanation from the commission.
The polling-unit allegations come amid a separate controversy involving suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs, duplicate images and questionable entries discovered in INEC's preliminary Register of Voters.
INEC's Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, acknowledged that some registration officers allegedly abused their access credentials to introduce irregular records into the database.
Speaking on Arise Television, Bayode explained that the commission's Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) detected suspicious entries during its examination of the registration records.
He said some photographs were AI-generated, while other irregularities resulted from poor registration practices.
According to reports, the commission's biometric system initially flagged approximately 1.5 million records as suspicious. INEC subsequently confirmed that 1,277,252 records were invalid and removed them before releasing the preliminary register, while 268,000 records remained subject to further examination.
The commission has clarified that genuine photographs enhanced with AI applications would not automatically disqualify legitimate voters. However, fabricated photographs and invalid registrations would be addressed through its verification process.
A report published on November 4 by SaharaReporters alleged that documents obtained by the newspaper showed an increase of 453 polling units beyond the 176,846 officially published by INEC.
According to the report, the additional units would bring the national figure to 177,299, with Delta State's polling units allegedly increasing from 5,863 to 6,316.
The report cited unnamed INEC sources who questioned why the changes had not been publicly disclosed and why relevant stakeholders had not been adequately informed.
It also called on INEC to publish the locations, identification codes, wards, local government areas, dates of creation and administrative approvals for the alleged additional units.
However, the specific claim that the 453 units were created without the legally required consultations or approvals has not been independently established. INEC has not provided a verified public explanation of the alleged additions in the reports reviewed.
The development has renewed debate about the transparency of INEC's operations, particularly as political parties prepare for the 2027 elections.
Critics argue that the commission should publicly explain how suspicious voter records entered its database, identify officials responsible for any misconduct and provide documentary clarification concerning the alleged additional polling units.
Some Nigerians have also called for independent scrutiny of the voters' register and the commission's electoral infrastructure before the final register is certified.
INEC has maintained that the published voters' register is preliminary and that the verification and correction process is intended to address irregularities before certification. The commission has scheduled December 15, 2026, for the certification of the final register.
The commission has also said it is investigating the suspicious photographs and other questionable records, with corrective action to follow verified findings.
The emerging allegations have prompted calls for Nigerians to insist on answers from INEC rather than accept unexplained discrepancies.
Any demand to teach the commission a lesson should translate into lawful civic action, public scrutiny, petitions, independent audits and, where necessary, court proceedings.
With the 2027 elections approaching, INEC faces questions that require clear answers: Who introduced the questionable voter records? What happened to the officials allegedly responsible? Do the 453 additional polling units exist, and under what authority were they established?
For many Nigerians, the credibility of the 2027 elections will depend not only on INEC's assurances but also on its willingness to make relevant records and decisions available for independent examination.
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