CONTINUOUS VOTER REGISTRATION RESUMPTION: INEC Urges CSOs to Increase Citizens’ Awareness
Oru Leonard
the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has appealed to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to continue to support the Commission by increasing citizens’ awareness through voter education.
Prof. Yakubu made the appeal on Friday at the the second quarterly meeting with CSOs in Abuja, where he stated that with the relocation of voting points to underserved areas as autonomous polling units, there is need for massive publicity so that citizens are familiar with their voting locations well ahead of elections.
He disclosed that the Commission will soon make available a lot of advocacy materials, adding that INEC will work with CSOs to ensure the widest possible outreach.
According to him, “Working together with you, we have in no small measure deepened our democracy by expanding citizens’ access to the ballot box. This historic accomplishment was also made in record time. It took just four months (February to June 2021) to solve a 25-year-old problem.
“It means that if we continue to work together consultatively, no challenge is insurmountable. It is our commitment as a Commission to deepen our collaboration with CSOs”.
He reassured the CSOs that the Commission will continue to consult them on matters critical to the consolidation of Nigeria’s electoral process and democracy.
While noting that the CVR will be a major issue for discussion at the meeting, he announced that the Commission will demonstrate the procedure for the proposed online registration and also present the new INEC Voter Enrollment Device (IVED) to them.
On the FCT Area Council elections, INEC out Boss said that 14 political parties have concluded their primaries for the 6 Area Council Chairmen and 62 Councillors, adding that 110 candidates were nominated for Chairmanship/ Deputy Chairmanship positions and 362 candidates for Councillorship, making a total 472 candidates vying for 68 elective positions.
Responding on behalf of the CSOs, the Founder, The Albino Foundation and Convener, Disability Inclusion Nigeria, Mr. Jake Epelle, said the CSOs will work together with INEC to engage citizens in voter education.
In his words, “I want to assure you on behalf of my colleagues, that we will do whatever possible that we can to support INEC. INEC will be the first Nigerian Organization that is working tirelessly to make their website disability friendly.
“I will like to thank you for carrying us along and opening up the space for positive, transparent engagement”, he concluded.
SEE FULL TEXT OF COMMUNIQUE
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE SECOND
QUARTERLY CONSULTATIVE MEETING BETWEEN POLITICAL
PARTIES AND THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL
COMMISSION (INEC) HELD AT INEC HEADQUARTERS, ABUJA
ON THURDAY, 17 TH JUNE 2021
PREAMBLE
Political parties met today, Thursday, June 2021 with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as parl of the Commission’s national engagement and consultations with stakeholders on the outcome of the expansion of voter access to Polling Units and the resumption of Ihe Continuous VOrer Registration (CVR) exercise, The meeting which held at the Headquarters of INEC in Abuja was attended by rhe Chairmen and/or
Secretaries of the following political parties:
1. ACCORD
ACTION ALLIANCE (AN
3, AFRICAN ACTION CONGRESS (AAC)
AFR DEMOCRATIC CONGR ESS
ACTION DEMOCRATIC (ADP)
ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGR ESS (APC.)
ALL PROGRESSIV ES GRAND NCE (APGAY
z. ALLIED PEOPLES” MOVEMENT (APM)
ACTION PEOPLES PARTY (APP)
10. BOOT P ARTY IBP’
LABOUR PARTY
12. NEW NIGERIA
NATIONAL RESCUE MOV EMENT M)
PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP)
PEOPLES REDEMP’VION PARTY 16. SOCIAL DEMOCRXVIC PAR TY (SOP)
17. YOUNG PROGRESSIVES PARTY
18. ZENITH LABOUR PARIN (ZI.P)
Also in attendance were the Chairman of INEC, National Commissioners, the Commission’s Secretary and Directors, The meeting was chaired by the
Chainman oflNEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
During the meeting, INEC’s presented the outcome of the expansion of voters access to Polling Units which resulted in the conversion of 56,872 Voting Points and Voting Point Settlement into full•fleged polling units nationwide. Furthermore, parry leaders were briefed on INEC preparation for the resumption of the CVR exercise on 28th June 2021, with the demonstration of the online registraton portal that will enable prospective registrants to commence their registration online and complete it at designated Registration Centre nationwide.
RESOLUTIONS
Following extensive deliberations the meeting resolved as follows;
1. That the expansion of voter access to polling unit* with the creation of additional 56,872 polling units is a welcome development.
2. That the effort of the Commission in resolving the 25 years issue which brings the number of polling units in Nigeria to 176,864 is CO m mendable.
3. That online pre-registration exercise will commence on 28′ June 2021 for a period of three weeks;
4. That rhe CVR exercise which is scheduled to take place in 2,673 designated centres will be devolved to the [NEC LGA/Area Council Offices nationwide depending on an assessment of rhe security situation and other related factor:
5. That the CVR exercise will be further devolved to other designated centres depending on t-urTher assessment ofthe security situation,
