My Commission will display voters’ register before 2023 elections, INEC Chairman assures Nigerians

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has assured the electorate and stakeholders in the electoral process that his Commission will display final list of voters register in all the 8,809 Wards and 774 Local Government Areas/Area Councils nationwide before next February general elections.

Professor Yakubu restated his assurance, on Tuesday, while speaking at the Validation of Revised Framework and Regulations for Voting by Internally Displaced Persons held in Abuja.

His remarks were a direct response to claims by certain Civil Society groups which accused the Commission of failure to display the voters’ register as provided by Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2022.

While disputing the claim, the INEC Chairman noted that what has been displayed so far was not the entire register of voters but the list of fresh registrants at the end of the Fourth and last quarter of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise covering the period from 11th April – 31st July 2022.

He maintained that in deference to Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, final list of registered voters put at over 84 million voters will be released “as soon the Commission completes the ongoing Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to weed out all double/multiple as well as ineligible registrants.”

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He said: “What the Commission displayed for claims and objections in our Local Government Area offices nationwide for a period of one week, from 15th – 21st August 2022, was not the entire register of voters but the list of fresh registrants at the end of the Fourth and last quarter of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise covering the period from 11th April – 31st July 2022. This has been the practice for several years. Earlier, the Commission had displayed the register three times: 24th – 30th September 2021 (First Quarter), 24th – 30th December 2021 (Second Quarter) and 26th March – 1st April 2022 (Third Quarter). A comprehensive schedule of the CVR exercise and the display of the register was shared with stakeholders at our quarterly meeting just before the inception of the exercise in June last year.

“We wish to assure Nigerians that the Commission will display the comprehensive register in all the 8,809 Wards and 774 Local Government Areas/Area Councils nationwide as envisaged in Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2022. This will integrate fresh voters registered under the last CVR exercise to the existing register of over 84 million voters. The date will be announced as soon the Commission completes the ongoing Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to weed out all double/multiple as well as ineligible registrants. We appeal to some of our friends in civil society to be guided accordingly.”

On the purpose of the summit, the INEC Chairman said it was to show his Commission’s sincerity and commitment to the provisions of the Electoral Act which frowns at the disenfranchisement of eligible voters.

“The idea is to ensure that no eligible Nigerian is left out of the electoral process on account of displacement, disability or other circumstances that may limit citizens’ participation in the electoral process. What is presented to stakeholders today has taken into consideration several developments since the last review and validation exercise in 2018.

“First, is the increased number of IDPs as a result of widespread insecurity nationwide. “Secondly, to incorporate not only the displaced citizens arising from armed conflicts but also natural emergencies such as flooding.

“Thirdly, to align the framework with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, specifically Section 24(1) which empowers the Commission to ensure that, as far as practicable, no Nigerian is disenfranchised on account of displacement by emergency situations. Finally, to align the framework with the national policy on internally displaced persons 2021.”

In his contribution to the sensitisation programme, Dr Aishat Jibril Dukku, commended INEC’s determination to ensure inclusivity in the electoral process as he noted that the “IDP framework by the Commission is a demonstration of commitment to inclusivity which is consistent with the avoidance of discrimination in our electoral process.

“INEC’s commitment to its mission to serve as an independent and effective Electoral Management Body committed to the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections for sustainable democracy in Nigeria is not in doubt as it ensures that persons displaced as a result of emergency are not disenfranchised.

“Once again, I commend your efforts on voting rights of Internally Displaced Persons and wish you success in carrying out your objectives.”