THE House of Representatives on Tuesday urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adopt all necessary measures to ensure that all eligible voters were registered and issued with Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) without further delay.
The House, however, mandated the Committee on Electoral and Political Party Matters to provide the House with detail report on the number of voters so far registered by INEC.
The House resolution followed a motion sponsored by Hon. Ayeola Abayomi Abdul-Kabir, entitled, “urgent need to ensure that all eligible voters are registered and issued with Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs)”.
According to him, “in its preparation towards the 2019 General Elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is carrying out Continuous Voters Registration all over the country to enable eligible Voters to register and collect Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs).
“Many Nigerians who have attained the age of 18 years or more have presented themselves at various registration centres of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in different parts of the country but have neither been registered nor issued with the Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs).
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not been able to effect the transfer of many persons from the places where they were originally registered and given Voter’s Cards to their current places of residence despite their having the necessary requirements.
“If the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not intensify its efforts and correct all the inadequacies and lapses in the on-going Continuous Registration of Voters, many Nigerians would be disenfranchised during the 2019 General Elections.
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“One of the ways of making the 2019 General Elections credible is by allowing eligible voters to register and vote in the elections, thereby enhancing the stability and growth of Nigeria’s democracy”, the lawmaker stated.
Most of the lawmakers that spoke maintained that there was a need to ensure that eligible voters were registered without further delay.
The motion scaled through when the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara put the motion to a voice vote.
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