The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said it had extended the Continuous Voters’ Registration (CVR) taking place in 10 states of Taraba, Gombe, Zamfara, Kebbi, Benue, Kogi, Abia, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom and Bayelsa by two days. According to the Commission, it was because of the massive turnout of eligible citizens aimed at giving opportunity to all eligible citizens in the state.
In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Kayode Idowo, “the exercise, which was originally scheduled to end on Sunday, June 1, will now run till Tuesday, June 3, in the following states: Taraba, Gombe, Zamfara, Kebbi, Benue, Kogi, Abia, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom and Bayelsa.”
In the statement, INEC called on eligible citizens in the states involved in the exercise that are yet to register to use the opportunity of the extension to do so within the stipulated time of the extension.
The statement further said, “the Commission hereby reiterates, however, that the CVR is for only the following categories of people: Persons who turned 18 years after the last registration persons who were 18 years at the time but did not present themselves for registration and persons whose data were not adequately captured previously and for whom PVCs were not produced in the last distribution exercise”.
“For avoidance of doubt, the exercise is not for everyone, including people wishing to transfer their registration data from where they previously registered.
“It will amount to double/multiple registration, which is an offence punishable under Nigerian law, for anyone who was duly registered previously to present himself/herself for registration during the CVR.”
Relatively, the Enugu East Senatorial aspirant and former Minister of Information, Mr. Frank Nweke Jr, has called for the extension of the exercise in the state.
He also urged INEC to change the process of Continuous Voters Registration that could enable prospective voters register with INEC without necessarily waiting for a particular period close to election to register as voters.
He made the call yesterday shortly after undergoing fresh registration as a voter at Nkwo Ishi- Ozalla in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state.
He urged his constituent members that are yet to collect their permanent voters’ cards to do so in their local government INEC Office headquarters so that they would not be disenfranchised in 2015 general election.
The former Minister said, “it was very distressing for the entire INEC registration documentation to be erased in 621 polling units of Enugu state, adding that it was an embarrassing incident after 15 years of return to democracy in Nigeria”.
He said: “INEC as a public institution needs to redouble its effort to be accountable and to be more efficient in the management of its responsibilities”.
“But having said that, I also believe that without voters, there is no democracy and democracy is about choice and so I wish to encourage our people to register to vote because its the only way you can effect a change or maintain a status quo if that is what you want.
“Let me also call on INEC to consider very seriously extending the registration period. I don’t see for instance why we have to wait upon years after one process of registration and then you allocate 3 or 5 days in a few months to an election and ask everybody to go and register within those times.
“Voters registration should be a continuous process for people who turn voting age at any point in time. It shouldn’t be special events, but INEC should consider very seriously extending the registration process in other for people to get registered. I think we have sufficient time to do that.”