June 18, (THEWILL) – Nigerians’ increasing interest in the general election, which is scheduled for February 2023, has led to an upsurge in the number of potential voters who have laid siege to the various centres provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC).
The fear of not being able to obtain their voter cards has made many to request the extension of the deadline for registration. There have also been calls for a credible general election in the interest of peace and tranquility. And it is generally agreed that one way to ensure a free and fair election is by extending voter registration so as to accommodate millions of Nigerians who are yet to register for the election.
Those who have added their voices to the call for more time for registration include the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi.
Obi has reportedly called on INEC to extend the voter registration exercise across the country as the deadline for registration of new Permanent Voter Cards draws close.
Obi made the call via his Twitter handle after acknowledging that voter registration across the country, especially in the South-East, had been impeded by bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He was said to have expressed the opinion that there might be a deliberate attempt to prevent millions of potential voters in the Labour Party’s strongholds from registering in order to disenfranchise them.
“Information reaching me indicates that voter registration across Nigeria, more so in the South-East, is dogged by inertia and bureaucratic bottlenecks. I respectfully call on INEC to facilitate the speedy registration of Nigerians to enable them to exercise their voting rights,” Obi wrote.
The Labour Party presidential candidate called on INEC to facilitate a speedy registration of voters for them to be able to exercise their constitutional rights. There is a need to get the election right from the outset since the success, failure or rigging of the poll begins with compromised voters’ registration.
Recently, thousands of Igbo traders in Alaba International Market and other markets in Lagos, who shut their businesses to register, were reportedly attacked by hoodlums and miscreants in parts of the metropolis who prevented them from getting their voters’ card.
Most of them expressed their fears as they said it looked like there is a premeditated attempt to stop them from registering. They urged INEC to investigate the ugly incident and ensure that everyone is free to register for the election.
INEC had earlier extended the deadline for online registration for new PVCs from May 31, 2022, to June 30, 2022. However, the electoral umpire maintained the deadline for all registrations on June 30.
Noticing the complaints, INEC announced that based on the reports it received from some states about “unprecedented surge in the number of citizens that wish to register as voters and the challenges they face across the country,” it held a meeting and decided to deploy additional 209 machines to the five South-Eastern states, Lagos and Kano where the pressure is most acute. INEC’s press statement added that “in some states, the sudden turnout of prospective registrants is overwhelming.”
The electoral body in a statement signed by its Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye said that it would monitor the situation over the next few days and thereafter hold another meeting to review the progress of the registration exercise.
“Every step will be taken and all options will be explored to ensure that eligible Nigerians are given the opportunity to register as voters. The Commission appeals for the patience and understanding of all citizens. Every Nigerian who is 18 years of age and above has the constitutional right to register and vote in any part of the country where he or she lives without let or hindrance,” Okoye said in the statement.
In order to avoid the looming danger that may arise if many people are disenfranchised, many have called on the INEC not to end the exercise on June 30 as they urged it to extend it by two to three months. They believe that an extension will afford more people the opportunity to be registered.
Some civil society organisations and groups are even exploiting the legal option to compel INEC to extend the registration deadline.
Penultimate week, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) and 185 concerned Nigerians filed a lawsuit against INEC, asking the court to “declare as unconstitutional, illegal, and incompatible with international standards the failure of the electoral body to extend the deadline for voter registration to allow eligible Nigerians to exercise their rights.” SERAP asked the court to compel INEC to extend the deadline by three months.
In the suit FHC/L/CS/1034/2022 filed penultimate Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP demanded that the INEC decision be declared a violation of eligible Nigerians’ rights to participate in their own government.
The suit is asking the court for an order to compel INEC to extend voter registration by a minimum of three months.
In the suit SERAP and the concerned Nigerians said: “The extension of voter registration would ensure that Nigerian voters are treated equally and fairly. The future of Nigeria’s democracy depends on it”.
The applicants insist voters are critical stakeholders in the electoral process and that treating all eligible Nigerians fairly would advance the people’s right to vote.
“INEC must not only be independent and impartial in the exercise of its constitutional and statutory responsibilities but must also be seen to be independent and impartial”, they said.
SERAP and others also want an order restraining INEC, its agents, privies and others from discontinuing the continuous voters’ registration pending the hearing and determination of this suit.
Those who share the view of SERAP believe INEC will not lose anything by extending the deadline arguing that despite INEC’s repeated fervent insistence that it would not extend the deadline for the conduct of primaries by political parties, it eventually did that, adding six more days to the deadline when the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, had already started gathering for its presidential primaries.
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room), a coalition of Civil Society Organisations had also added its voice to the call for INEC to extend the continuous voter registration exercise.
It said: “While we note that some registrants wait for the last minute to meet deadlines for registration, it is also worthy to note that there have been several complaints of inadequate manpower and equipment in INEC offices, thus making it difficult to have a seamless registration process,” its statement said. “This has led to delays and restiveness of citizens waiting to register in long queues”.
The body further said that it was concerned that many Nigerians would be discouraged and disenfranchised if the exercise was not made seamless and the deadline extended. It added that INEC is yet to cover many of the rural communities in this process, thereby excluding citizens who may be far away from the INEC offices which are usually located within the local government area headquarters.
Following clamour for extension of the deadline due to upsurge in the number of potential registrants and the attendant logistics hitches, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said extension might be considered.
Several reports claimed the deadline had been extended prompting celebration in some quarters.
But when asked if it was true that the deadline has been extended to August 31, 2022, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi said: “No. It is not true. The deadline for the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) is still 30th June. The online pre -registration service closed since 30th May.
“What the Commission has done to respond to the surge in numbers of those who want to register is to deploy more INEC Voter Enrolment Devices (IVEDs) to areas where the pressure is highest. “These areas are all the states in the South-East region, Kano, Lagos and the FCT.”
Speaking with THEWILL, a member of the Campaign for Democracy, Mr. Sola Olawale noted that what the people are demanding is their right. “People should not be denied their right to vote and so the should be allowed to register and get their voter cards. It is their right and INEC has no choice but to extend the deadline to enable every eligible voter to get their names registered,” he said.
Also speaking, a public affairs commentator based in Abuja, Duro Ajayi said INEC should continue to register voters and there should be no closing date.
“There should be no closing date for registration. Everyday many people reach the voting age and they should not be delayed to enjoy their fundamental rights. I think INEC should devise a way for continuous registration of voters. Let there be no closing time and no deadline,” Ajayi said.
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
