Ngozi James
An Igbo Think Tank, Nzuko Umunna has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the deadline for continuous voter registration to enable all eligible Nigerians register and be able to vote during the 2023 elections.
The Think Tank, in a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Ngozi Odumuko, note the current turnout of people who want to register in different states, and expressed concerns that if INEC goes ahead with its plan to suspend voter registration on 30 June, 2022, a lot of the citizens will be left unregistered and therefore, disenfranchised during the elections.
Nzuko Umunna also urged the Commission to ensure that all Nigerians who visit registration centres are given opportunity to register in all parts of the country where they reside no matter their tribe or religious affiliation as voting during elections is one of the civic obligations of every eligible citizen.
“We also request that INEC should make provisions for security in places where hoodlums invade to disrupt the exercise. The Commission should also deploy more personnel and registration machines to registration centres where there is large number turn out of unregistered voters, to fasten the process and avoid keeping people stranded and discouraged to continue with the exercise,” the group stated.
The Think Tank however observed in the past one week the unprecedented turn out of Nigerians, especially the youths, in various states across the federation for voter registration following the suspension of its online preregistration on 30th May 2022 by INEC which later hearkened to the calls for an extension.
“We note that this development is a positive one for our democracy as it signifies increasing interest of the citizens to participate in the electoral process and therefore should be encouraged by the electoral management body and all political stakeholders in the country. It also shows growing confidence in the electoral system. We commend INEC for this,” the statement said.
Nzuko Umunna equally commend various religious bodies, civil society groups and individuals of all works of life who, since the voter registration exercise began, have been encouraging the citizens to register and be able to vote during elections. The group note that some churches and other groups have gone further to offer their buildings to INEC to serve as temporal registration centres, while a good number of people in different states have also assisted with logistics to help fasten the registration process for the citizens.
They also commend INEC for deploying additional 209 registration machines to Lagos, Kano and states in the South-East where the Commission has noticed large turnout of unregistered voters for the exercise in recent times.