INEC to Decide on Continuous Voter Registration WednesdayChuks Okocha in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would on Wednesday, after the ruling of a Federal High Court, presided over by  Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon, decide on the continuous voter registration (CVR) in the country.  

This was disclosed exclusively to THISDAY by the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Chairman, Voter Education,  Festus Okoye.
He said the suit before the Federal High Court, has been adjourned to 12th July 2022, for judgement, adding: “So, the commission will take a final decision on the terminal period of the CVR after the judgement.”

Justice Olajuwon’s Federal High Court, Abuja, had on the 20th of June 2022, granted an ex-parte application restraining the Commission from stopping the CVR on the 30th day of June 2022 or on any other date pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice filed by SERAP and other individuals.
Tomorrow, Tuesday,  July 12, is a public holiday, therefore, it is expected that the matter would be heard the next day being Wednesday, due to the urgency of the suit to the forth coming general election next year.

Ordinarily, the CVR ought to have ended on June 30, since the online registration ended May 31, save for the restraining order by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to Okoye, “It is pertinent to point out that section (9)(6) of the Electoral Act makes it mandatory that the registration of voters, updating and revision of voters shall stop not later than 90 days before any election covered by the Act.”

He said the the operative word in section 9(6) was not later than, explaining further that the framers of the law deliberately gave the Commission the discretion, the leeway and elbow room to stop the registration of voters earlier than 90 days before any election covered by the Act.
“The framers of the law understand that there are other activities that are critical to the compilation of the voters register that must be undertaken before the expiration of the mandatory period for the stoppage of registration.

“This is exemplified and poignantly made in section 19(1) of the Act which provides that the Commission shall, not later than 90 days  to a general election, appoint a period of seven days during which a copy of the voters’ register for each local government, area council or ward shall be displayed or published for public scrutiny at registration area and on its official website or any website established by the Commission for that purpose.
“The Commission cannot mandatorily stop the registration of voters, updating and revision of the voters register 90 days to an election and at the same time be displaying the register for claims and objections.

“These processes must be completed earlier than the 90 days. In the view of the clear provisions of section 9(6) and 19(1) of the Act, it is imperative that the Commission shall stop the registration, updating and revision of the register of voters ahead of the 90 day period to enable the Commission carry out the critical task of displaying the voters register in the 774 local government areas of the country and in the 8,809 electoral wards of the country.
“It is also fundamental for the Commission to subject the register to de-duplication using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to remove double and multiple registrants,” Okoye stated.

He said it was important to begin the printing of the Permanent Voters Cards of the new registrants and those that did transfer, or lost their PVCs or complained of damaged PVCs and make the Cards available for collection.

His words: “It will be an exercise in futility to continue with the voters registration process too close to the terminal period and be unable to display the register for claims and objections, clean it  up to remove multiple and double registrants and make the Permanent Voters Cards available to the registrants.

“The Commission is of the firm view and belief that a credible, clean and acceptable voter’s register is the foundation of a good electoral system. The Commission will, therefore, not compromise on the compilation of a good voters roll for the country and will continue to improve on its electoral service delivery,” Okoye stated.