The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concern over high degree of infractions by registrants in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, saying that 45 percent of completed registrations nationwide are invalid.
INEC national Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who said that degree of infractions even increase up to 60 percent in some states, expressed worry that this occured despite repeated enlightenment programs over the CVR exercise.
He spoke Wednesday at a press conference on the ongoing CVR exercise.
According to the INEC Chairman, “Presently, nearly 45% of completed registrations nationwide are invalid, rising to as high as 60% or more in some States. This infraction happened in all States of the Federation. No State is immune from it.
“These invalid registrations will not be included in the Register of Voters. In our commitment to transparency, the distribution of the registration figures, including the percentages of valid and invalid registrations on State-by-State basis, will be made available to you at this press conference. The same information will be uploaded to the Commission’s website and social media platforms immediately.
“This development is worrisome because of the time and resources expended in handling these cases. Even more disturbing are the strong indications that some of our staff may be complicit in facilitating these infractions, notwithstanding stern warnings.
“Consequently, the Commission is reviewing reports on such staff and has commenced a detailed investigation which may include the prosecution of those found culpable. Specific registrants associated with these infractions by our staff may also face prosecution in line with Sections 22 and 23 of the Electoral Act 2022.9.
” I wish to seize this opportunity to request political parties, the media, civil society organizations and the general public to assist the Commission in educating Nigerians about the problem of invalid registration.
“As we have repeatedly explained, if you had at any time in the past registered to vote, you do not have to reregister. If you have registered in the past, you should not get involved in the CVR again unless you have had problems with your PVC or fingerprint recognition during accreditation in any previous election. In that case, all you need to do is to revalidate your registration by visiting a designated registration centre to recapture your fingerprints and picture.
“Other registered persons who may also get involved in the CVR are those whose PVCs are missing or defaced; those whose details need correction and those seeking to transfer from their current places of voting to other locations. These cases do not involve new registration. Apart from these, the CVR is essentially for Nigerians who have attained the age of 18 years and have not registered earlier.
“With our improved systems using the ABIS, the Commission shall continue to clean up the register to eliminate invalid registration and ensure that only those who should be in the Register of Voters are included. It is precisely the introduction of this more robust system that has enabled us to improve our ability to detect these invalid registrants.
“However, we also suspect that some of these invalid registrations may have arisen out of ignorance. Consequently, the Commission is establishing a dedicated Help Desk for people who need information about the CVR. Kindly use the Help Desk if you are in doubt about your registration status or whether you should register or not.
“Furthermore, citizens who have no access to the internet can ask the Registration Officer at the Registration Centre before proceeding. You can contact the Help Desk by phone as well as our various social media handles
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