Looming Disenfranchisement for Intending Voters
In this report, Sunday Ehigiator writes that the massive deregistration of newly registered voters, uncollected Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, and the delays by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in issuing the PVCs to registered voters as experienced in several quarters, and even the recent burning of about 65,000 PVCs in Ogun State, are some of the factors capable of disenfranchising voters at the February 2023 General Elections
In less than 100 days, eligible voters will decide the leadership fate of the country in what has been said to be a three-horse race.
According to INEC, the elections are expected to cost the nation at least N305 billion and would be decided by 93.5 million registered voters among which youth accounts for over 65 per cent.
The winner would have a four-year mandate to lead a distressed nation struggling with high unemployment figures, biting poverty, insecurity, rising inflation, crude oil theft, high unemployment rate, dwindling revenues, high debt burden, dwindling economy and industrial (trade union) crises among others.
It will be the first time in the country’s seventh consecutive general election since its return to the democratic system of government in 1999, heralding 23 years of uninterrupted democracy that youth have shunned voter apathy to register for their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
Unfortunately, this zeal from the youth is about to wane considering the volume of uncollected voter’s cards, the large number of deregistered voters and several unsuccessful efforts by most newly registered voters to collect their PVCs, instilling a fear of disenfranchisement.
Surge in Youth Interest
Earlier in September, the commission had said there was a recent surge in youth turnout for the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, leading to over 2 million new voters in one month and cumulatively a total of 12,298,944 newly registered voters.
A total of 2,780,756 representing 22.6 per cent, were later identified as ineligible registrants and invalidated from the records, citing double/multiple registrants, underage persons and outright fake registrations as reasons for the deregistration, hence, thereby reducing the number to 9,518,188 newly registered with youth accounting for 4.6 million or 49.18 per cent of the number.
From the above analogy, it is crystal clear that the youth represents the largest demographic of registered voters with over 54 million registered voters, leaving candidates running for political offices in the forthcoming elections to essentially depend on the support of young people if they must win.
Unfortunately, it appears that the strength of the youth and the entire voting population may have been clipped by strategic actions or inactions of the electoral umpire ranging from irregularities in the voter’s register to several uncollected PVCs discovered in places they ought not to be.
Also is the delay in collection of newly registered PVCs, large the amount of deregistered voters believed to be politically motivated, and the fear of harassment by loyalists of opposition parties in the state with varying ethnic, religious and political sentiments.
Concerns over Deregistered Voters
In recent weeks, there has been increased discontent among stakeholders, particularly in Southern Nigeria on the large number of invalid registered voters released by INEC from the region, ahead of the 2023 general election.
The Commission had said the invalid registrants were detected after it applied the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) data cleaning exercise.
INEC has come under heavy criticism from stakeholders and political leaders in the South since the final figure of voters was announced for the 2023 general election.
They accused the commission of showing favouritism in the registration of voters ahead of next year’s polls and working to disadvantage the region’s voting strength, particularly the South-South and South-East.
In its final assessment of the continuous voter registration exercise, INEC said Bayelsa, Ebonyi and Rivers top the list of states with the highest number of invalid registered voters.
The data shows that 59. 8 per cent of the total new registrants were delisted in the South-East state.
Although Nigeria’s voter population increased by 9,518,188, a total of 2,780,756 were consequently delisted from 12,298,944 new voters who completed the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise.
Interestingly, the South-South state of Bayelsa, which is one of the states with the smallest voter population in the country, led the chart of invalid registered voters with a total of 307,513 voters deregistered from the 444,652 new registrants that completed their CVR.
This means 69.2 per cent of the people that participated in the exercise committed one of the infractions frowned upon by the electoral body.
Ebonyi State took the second spot as only 161,447 registrants satisfactorily scaled INEC’s Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) data cleaning exercise out of the 401,510 registrants who completed the registration.
Also, Rivers had 33 per cent of its total CVR registered voters deregistered after the INEC data cleaning phase.
The valid new voters in Abia were 196,683 while 72,657 have been declared invalid. At least 61,261 of the 243,565 total registered voters in Enugu were also invalid according to the INEC data.
In the South West, the total registration was 2,039,982, while invalid 399,608 representing 10 per cent of the number were deregistered, leaving a valid voter number of 1,640,374, and a total voters register of 17.5 million.
This is a sharp contrast to the figure in the North, where states like Zamfara, Kwara, Abuja, Plateau and Kaduna recorded the lowest percentage of invalid registration. For example, of the 238,649 new registrants in Zamfara, only 11.2 per cent were invalid.
In North Central, the total registration stood at 2,314,368, while a total of 345,324, representing 14.9 per cent newly registered, were invalidated, leaving 1,969,044 valid voters and a total voter register of 15 million.
Total registration in the North East stood at 1,531,070, invalid voters, 272,508, representing 17.8 per cent, leaving a valid voters number of 1,258,562, and a total of 12.5 million registered voters.
The total number of registration stood at 12,298,944, invalid 2,780,756, (22.6 per cent), valid 9,518,188, while the total register is 93.5 million.
Mixed Reactions Trail Voters Deregistration
The development has left many wondering how the zones with high literacy rates will record more invalid registration than the Northern parts of the country with lower literacy rates.
In his reaction, the President of Middle Belt Forum, Pogu Bitrus said he would not know how INEC arrived at the figures, saying other reasons apart from double registration could have informed what happened.
“Certainly, in this country today, we have so many foreigners; the majority of hawkers in Abuja and other parts of Nigeria are from Niger Republic and Chad and this may have increased the Northwest number of registrants.”
He, however, urged those whose registrations had been cancelled in the South East and South-south to come out if they know that they were duly registered, and testify that they have been short-changed and that INEC is being partial.
Meanwhile, some stakeholders are saying that a thorough analysis of the reasons for the invalidation of PVCs must be undertaken; they say those that can be remedied, must be given a chance as the objective must be to get all eligible voters to register.
A Twitter user identified as @Gifted_Gift stated, “The invalid voters’ registration is worrisome. @inecnigeria has not given any tangible reason why about 2 million registrations are invalid; something needs to be done about it.
“No one should be disenfranchised, as 2023 is critical to Nigerians. It’s a vote for survival!”
Another user, Olatunji Shinaayomi wrote, “I think there is a little justification for been high invalid registration considering Hope Uzodinma paid INEC staff to put fake registration in the system. Let us keep calm. With or without this new registration Nigerians are ready to take back their country from hoodlums.”
Another user, Abel Aboh asked, “How can there even be invalid or duplicate registrations when we are using technology? I expect that once a person’s fingerprints are scanned if those prints have been registered before, the system is supposed to show a message that the person has already been registered.
“I believe the loophole was left by INEC so they can carry out multiple registrations to rig elections. There are a lot of people who have two or more PVCs and they vote with all of them on Election Day.”
Basi Azubuike wrote, “The south, particularly the South East and South-South, are being rigged out (disenfranchised) by the electoral body even before the elections. Look at the numbers of registrants disqualified without a transparent reason.”
While Ezeh Victor wrote, “@inecnigeria denied so many of us access to PVC registration. Those of us who struggled to register are now being invalidated by the same INEC. We can’t take this.”
Irregularities in the Voters Register
The recently released voters’ register by INEC has been marred by several irregularities ranging from appearances of strange names and images of underage voters to multiple registrations believed to have taken place during the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR).
After the closure of the CVR, INEC said the entire preliminary register containing 93,522,272 registrants will be published for 2 weeks on its portal, from November 12 to 25.
In September, INEC said it detected many double, multiple and ineligible registration in the CVR. The commission added that after a rigorous clean-up of the data using the ABIS, 2,780,756 registrants were identified as ineligible and were deleted from the register.
The commission said about 23 of its officers were found culpable in aiding the double registration of voters, adding that there will be severe sanctions for the officers involved.
However, a review of some of the states on the INEC released register showed that there still exist irregularities in the voters’ list. The register contained double registration, underage voters and some fictitious names hard to resonate with reality.
Double and Multiple Registrations
Some names were found to appear multiple times on the voters’ register. This is despite the claim by INEC that double and multiple registrations are invalid and were deleted from the register.
These details have the same name, personal information, and photographs but different Voter Identification Numbers (VINs)
Some of the names and details found to appear twice on the voters’ register are Abubakar Maryam, F, 1990. She registered in Kano State, Fagge LGA, Fagge A Ward, and Dandali 1 Polling Unit.
Bala, Habiba; DOB-Y: 1951; Gender: F; Kano State LGA: Bunkure; Polling Unit: Unguwar Baki I; Ward: Bono; and Adamu, Hadiza; DOB-Y: 1970; Gender: F; Borno State; LGA: Gwoza; Polling Unit: Mohammed Diya; Ward: Ngoshe.
Strange Names
Some of the strange names found include Abdghyu, Ghhyjkk, DOB-Y: 1960 Gender: M; Abia State; LGA: Aba North; Polling Unit: Eziama High School – Eziama High School I; Ward: Eziama.
And, Akpaqn, Okn J, DOB-Y: 1980; Gender: M; Abia State; LGA: Aba North; Polling Unit: Eziama High School – Eziama High School I; Ward: Eziama, to mention a few.
Underage Voters
Underage voting has always been at the forefront of the discussion in every election cycle.
The Northern part of the country has always been criticized for this. However, a check of the register revealed that underage voters also exist in the Southern part of the country.
Some of the names found to be allegedly underage voters are, Abdu Kabiru, M, 1992; Kano State LGA: Bunkure; Polling Unit: Unguwar Baki I; Ward: Bono.
Daniel, Ngbede, DOB-Y: 1992; Gender: M; Benue; LGA: Agatu; Polling Unit: Ugboju Primary School; Ward: Odugbeho.
Ekpe, Patricia O.; DOB-Y: 1990; Gender: F Cross River; LGA: Biase; Polling Unit: Obioko Square, Adim; Ward: Adim.
Bashir, Mohammed, DOB-Y: 1989; Gender: M Borno State; LGA: Gubio; Polling Unit: Juwula; Ward: Dabira.
Isami, Modu, DOB-Y: 1991; Gender: M; Borno State; LGA: Gubio; Polling Unit: Juwula; Ward: Dabira.
Chukwu, Ogechi A. DOB-Y: 1992; Gender: F; Ebonyi State; LGA: Ezza North; Polling Unit: Onunworie Elom; Ward: Inyere.
Nwankwo, Mery, DOB-Y: 1992 Gender: F; Ebonyi State; LGA: Ezza North; Polling Unit: Onunworie Elom; Ward: Inyere, among others.
Speaking against the existence of underage voters in the register, an Activist, Aisha Yesufu through a video shared on Facebook, questioned the electoral commission for registering children for election.
According to her, “INEC, what is going on? How do you have little children registered? Children that you see that are barely 10, you register them, and you say they were born (in) 1992. Do you know the meaning of 1992? That was 30 years ago. And you put some little children that are not up to 12 years, how did you register them, how come?
“When they entered the office, didn’t you see that these were kids? I understand the fact that sometimes you are in a state where there is too much pressure, they might wound you or attack you, but as soon as you get to your office, you should know that these are kids. Even after registration, can’t you see that these are kids?
“It’s been a long time that people are talking about underage voting from the northern part of the country, they put a lot of underage voting. Haven’t you still seen how bad governance is affecting everybody, yet you do underage voting, where has it taken anybody to, where has it taken the region to?” she asked.
She thereby urged INEC to conduct a further clean-up of the register and remove all ineligible voters ahead of the general elections.
INEC Reacts, Gives Room for Objections
Reacting to the concerns raised by Nigerians on why children are on the INEC list, INEC’s Commissioner for Information and Voters Education, Festus Okoye said, the commission made the voters registers public so Nigerians can help them clean it up.
According to him, “Anybody can go to our website and object. We cannot claim that the register does not have errors.”
On the voters’ register, the electoral commission gave room for the public to object to any fault or wrong data seen on the register.
However, the process for objecting was noted to be complicated and revealed too much private information about the person objecting.
According to INEC, to object, the public is expected to provide the voter’s number and date of birth of the voter in question, state the reason for the objection and attach proof of objection which must be either an affidavit, birth or death certificate, a national identity card, driver’s license or passport.
The person objecting is also required to take a passport photograph, provide personal information including mobile phone number and residential address, and ensure that his details are registered with INEC as a valid registered voter.
Delayed PVC Collection
On October 26, 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) disclosed that it was yet to print the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) of Nigerians who participated in the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise from January 15 to July 31, 2022.
INEC’s Commissioner for Information and Voters Education, Festus Okoye, made this known during an interview with a major TV station in Nigeria.
According to him, “If you were one of those that registered with the Commission during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise between June 28, 2021, and January 14, 2022, you can track where your Permanent Voter Card is and you will still be in a position to collect it.
“But if you register between January 15, 2022, and July 31, 2022, the implication is that you are not yet a registered voter in the true sense of the word because we have just finished the cleaning up of the voters’ register which is still ongoing.
“So, it is not possible for you to know where your permanent voter’s card is because we are yet to print your permanent voter cards and we are yet to make these permanent voter cards available for the registrants.”
Challenge of Uncollected PVCs
On Thursday, November 10, 2022, INEC’s Commissioner for Information and Voters Education, Festus Okoye through a statement, disclosed that about 65,699 uncollected PVCs were destroyed in the fire that engulfed the office.
Recall that INEC’s office was set ablaze by hoodlums in Ogun state local government.
According to him, “The resident electoral commissioner (REC) for Ogun state, Dr Niyi Ijalaiye, reported that our office in Abeokuta South local government area was attacked and set ablaze.
“The incident occurred around 1.15 am when some unidentified persons overpowered the security personnel on duty and set the entire building ablaze.
“The main building and all the commission’s movable assets in the office were destroyed. They include 904 ballot boxes, 29 voting cubicles, 30 megaphones, 57 election bags, 8 electric power generators and 65,699 uncollected permanent voters cards (PVCs).”
Also In July 2022, there were viral videos on social media showing a large amount of PVCs found in a drainage system in Imo state, while another batch of PVCs was also found lying in some unidentified offices alleged to belong to a top politician in Nigeria. There were also reports that PVCs were found in a drainage system in Rivers.
While many Nigerians on the social media platform accused INEC of complicity to disenfranchise Nigerians during the 2023 General Elections, some argued that the PVCs might have been stolen by gunmen, who attacked the commission’s offices in the regions.
Reacting to incidents, Okoye said the commission has vowed not to spare any of its staff found culpable in the matter. He said it would not allow any elements to sabotage its efforts and bring disrepute to its integrity ahead of the 2023 polls and beyond.
According to him, “The attention of the Commission has been drawn to videos trending online of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) allegedly buried underground in some locations, including the compound of a high-profile person.
“The Commission is not taking these allegations lightly. We have commenced an immediate investigation and anyone found culpable in this diabolical scheme intended to disenfranchise Nigerians will be sanctioned under the law. Every eligible Nigerian who registered as a voter is entitled to his/her PVC. The constitutional right to vote in any election must never be suppressed or abridged in any way.
“As far as the record of the Commission is concerned, PVCs have been printed for all valid registrants in Nigeria up to 14th January 2022 and delivered to all the states of the Federation for collection by voters. We will not allow retrogressive elements to sabotage our efforts.”
It is therefore expedient to note at this juncture, that all these highlighted issues are capable of discouraging voters participation and disenfranchisement same during the 2023 general elections, except more efforts are intentionally initiated toward PVC collections, voter awareness, and protection of voters during the collection of PVCs.
INEC Assures of Seamless PVCs Collection
Following the end of the statutory period for the display of the register of voters for claims and objections, INEC on November 26, assured Nigerians of their determination to make the collection of their PVCs across the country seamless irrespective of the short proximity to elections.
Speaking through a statement, Okoye said, the commission has developed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and will be among the issues to be discussed and finalised at a retreat scheduled to hold in Lagos from November 28 to December 2, 2022, involving all the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).
“At the end of the retreat, the Commission will release the dates as well as the detailed procedure for the immediate collection of PVCs nationwide. The Commission appreciates the patience and understanding of Nigerians, especially those who registered as voters or applied for transfer replacement of their cards from January to July 2022. In making the cards available for collection, the Commission is also working to ensure that the process is hitch-free.”
Punishment of Offenders
The statement also revealed that the Nigeria Police has arrested some individuals found to be in illegal possession of voters’ cards in some States of the Federation.
According to Okoye, “In one case, the police has concluded the investigation and handed over the case file to the Commission resulting in the successful prosecution of one Nasiru Idris at a Magistrate Court in Sokoto who was found to be in possession 101 PVCs in contravention of Sections 117 and 145 of the Electoral Act 2002. He has been sentenced to a year in prison.
“Similarly, the police in Kano State have arrested a man who was found with 367 PVCs. The suspect has been charged to court and the Commission is pursuing his prosecution.”
Quotes
INEC, what is going on? How do you have little children registered? Children that you see that are barely 10, you register them, and you say they were born (in) 1992. Do you know the meaning of 1992? That was 30 years ago. And you put some little children that are not up to 12 years, how did you register them, how come? When they entered the office, didn’t you see that these were kids?
The Commission is not taking these allegations lightly. We have commenced an immediate investigation and anyone found culpable in this diabolical scheme intended to disenfranchise Nigerians will be sanctioned under the law
