By Joy Odor
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has confirmed a total of 93,522,272 as preliminary registered eligible voters for the 2023 General elections.
He made the confirmation in his remark at the third quarterly meeting with political parties for the year 2022 in Abuja on Wednesday.
The INEC Boss said the register voters is at its preliminary level because it will be subjected to claims and objections by political parties and the general public.
He informed that it is preliminary because Section 19(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act 2022 required the Commission to display the hard copies of the register of voters for each Registration Area (Ward) and Local Government Area (and simultaneously publish the entire register on the Commission’s website) for a period of two weeks for scrutiny, claims and objections by citizens not later than 90 days to a General Election.
He added that the display of the physical register will take place at the designated centres from Saturday 12th – Friday 25th of November 2022 in compliance with the provision of the Electoral Act as amended.
Professor Yakubu opined that in the next few days, the Commission will print 9,352,228 pages of the register as It as been added to the existing register of 84,004,084 voters.
“The hard copy will be displayed for each of the 8,809 Registration Areas (Wards) and 774 Local Government Areas nationwide while the entire register will be published on our website for claims and objections as required by law.
“The display of the physical register will take place at the designated centres from Saturday 12th – Friday 25th of November 2022. Further details, including the procedure for filing claims and objections, will be released by the Commission next week.
“I would like to appeal to all Nigerians to seize the opportunity of the display to scrutinize the list and help us to clean it up further so that the final register of voters for the 2023 General Election can be compiled and published.
“The Commission is also working hard to ensure the completion of printing of remaining PVCs for new voters as well as those that applied to transfer or the replacement of their lost or damaged cards” he stressed.
The INEC Boss mentioned that in the coming days, the INEC will also inform Nigerians of the detailed plan to ensure a seamless collection of the PVCs.
According to her, Nigerians are expect an improvement in the procedure for PVC collection since the end of the CVR in July this year, and are working to ensure that citizens have a pleasant experience when they come to collect their cards.
“Beyond voter registration and the compilation of the voters’ register, the Commission has released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the three off-cycle Governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States held on Saturday 11th November 2022. Hard copies of the Timetable are included in your folders for this meeting and also published on our website and social media platforms”, he stated.
Professor Yakubu reiterated the need for political parties to eschew violence during campaigns as that would be against the expectations of the Electoral Act saying the clashes are unnecessary and must not be allowed to continue because it will only further help to widen the gap against success that had already been recorded.
He said since the Commission is preparing in top gear for preparation, there would be a need to meet more frequently for deliberations on a number of issues that requires the attention of the Commission.
“The Commission will continue to track the campaigns and will not hesitate to initiate the prosecution of violators as provided by law.
“It is clear to the Commission that as the General Election approaches, there will be need to meet more frequently with leaders of political parties.
“We hope that in spite of your campaign activities, you will oblige us. In fact, we plan to invite you very soon for a discussion on political rallies and the issue of campaign finance, including the limits on expenses set by the Commission after consultation with political parties”he said.
Earlier in his speech, the Chairman, lntra-Party Advisory Council ( IPAC), Yabagi Yusuf Sani urged INEC to remain steadfast and strong in their consciousness in as the eyes of the entire nation and wider global community are keenly focused on him.
IPAC Chairman expressed the Council support and reiterate the continual commitment of IPAC to the longstanding cooperation and mutually beneficial relationship with the INEC.
He express concern on the emerging negative signals against peaceful, credible conduct of the 2023′ general elections which include the brazen breach of the provisions of the Electoral Act and other extant laws on the use of money with impunity, during the last off-season governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states.
Alhaji Sani condemned the emerging antics and smear campaign by certain shadowy and cowardly figures who are clearly have embarked on the treacherous and unpatriotic conspiracy of reversing the outstanding landmarks, the INEC has recorded in recent years in the annals of the nation’s electoral history.
“To us in IPAC, the real object of the darts of venom being directed at the person of the Chairman and the institution of the INEC are merely a decoy. The real target of the machinations is the circumvention of the deployment of the Biomodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, the Electronic Transfer of results and the other security devices INEC has deftly and painstakingly put in place to enhance the integrity of the electoral process.
“The spurious allegations they are orchestrating especially in the online platforms are part of the strategies to prepare the grounds for their planned onslaught to achieve their nefarious goal within legal frameworks. It is also aimed at blackmailing and intimidating Professor Mahmoud Yakubu to surrender by compromising the stance of the Commission on the strident, airtight security measures against the maladies of rigging and other electoral malpractices that had perennially tarnished the integrity of elections in the country in the past.
“However, we believe that they will not have their way no matter their desperation and whatever their pranks and machinations. The use of technology in the conduct of elections in Nigeria has become sacrosanct and fait accompli Every player in the country’s power game must come to terms with the new reality that, they can no longer rig elections brazenly and with impunity” he said.
