As the deadline for voter registration approaches, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and traditional rulers have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to extend the registration period.
Mr Tanko Yamawo, Senior Special Assistant on Community Relations to the FCT Minister, made the call when he led a delegation to the palaces of the Ona of Abaji, Yunusa Baba, and the Se’peyi of Garki, Usman Nga-Kupi, to evaluate the exercise in Abuja.
Mr Yamawo, who expressed concern that Nigerians would be unable to elect leaders of their choice without the PVC, explained that the extension would allow many more people to obtain their PVCs.
According to Yamawo, the registration exercise in the FCT was very slow due to few data capture machines in circulation, hence the need for extension.
“The machines are not enough, even the available ones are slow, if you go to the registration centre people are stranded no machines to capture them. Therefore, we are calling on INEC to extend the registration, it is not as if people are not coming out but the machines are not enough, so it is difficult to capture the number of voters that came out”. Mr Yamawo said.
Usman NgaKupi, the Se’peyi of Garki, a traditional ruler urged the FCTA administration to work with INEC to extend the registration period so that people could exercise their franchise.
“July 31 is too close; it should be extended; if registration closes Saturday or Sunday, the result will not be achieved.” Usman NgaKupi said.
The traditional ruler explained that majority of the people who live in rural areas, have not registered due to communication gap.
RN