The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun the review of the electoral framework for voters in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps ahead of the 2023 general election.
INEC Chairman Professor Yakubu Mahmoud stated this in Abuja at the presentation of the 2023 Internally Displaced Persons Voting Frame work and Regulations for review and Validation.
He explained that the rationale is to align the framework with the provisions of the new electoral laws to ensure that no citizen is disenfranchised and also due to insecurity.
Professor Yakubu urged the stakeholders to work together to enrich the framework and noted Commission would collaborate with stakeholders for Voter Education and Sensitisation of IDPs.
Release of comprehensive list of registered voters
He said the commission is working towards publishing a comprehensive list of registered voters in the country.
The commission had, in August, published a “preliminary” register of voters in its LGA offices.
Prof Yakubu refutes the claims that the commission was not willing to display the comprehensive voters’ register as provided by section 19(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
“This claim is incorrect. What the commission displayed for claims and objections in our local government area offices nationwide for a period of one week — from August 15 to August 21 — was not the entire register of voters”.“It was the list of fresh registrants at the end of the fourth and last quarter of the continuous voter registration exercise, covering the period from April 11 to July 31.This had been the practice for several years”.“We wish to assure Nigerians that the commission will display the comprehensive register in all the 8,809 wards and 774 local government areas/area councils nationwide as contained in section 19(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022″, he said
The INEC chairman said the date would be announced as soon as the commission completes the ongoing automated biometric identification system (ABIS) to weed out all multiple as well as ineligible registrants.
The Chairperson House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, Dr Aisha Jibril Dukku urged the stakeholders to bring their wealth of knowledge to bear in the review of the documents to ensure that IDPs were not left out in the electoral processes.
The Country Director, International Foundation for Electoral System, Seray Jah pledged continued support of his organization to ensure that the electoral body got it right and that next year’s general election would be free fair and acceptable to all.