INEC vows to address issues with Voter Register

As the display of the preliminary national voters register in the 8,809 Registration Areas (wards) across the nation ends tomorrow, November 18, the exercise will move to the Local Government level from 19th to 25th November 2022.

Voters checking their names on preliminary voter register in Rivers State. Source: INEC Rivers Facebook

The exercise is aimed at ensuring free, fair and credible general elections in 2023.

To this end, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, believes the objectives of the display for claims and objections are being met with the identification of ineligible registrants by members of the public.

INEC, in a statement signed by National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, noted that it cannot rule out infractions by its registration officials in allowing ineligible persons into the register in the first place, but promised that each confirmed case of infraction will be thoroughly investigated and culpable officials will be disciplined.

The statement explained that ineligible persons include those below the age of 18 years, dead persons, foreigners, or those making false claims so that they can be deleted from the register in line with the Commission’s established rules.

The electoral umpire however expressed the “hope that at the end of the exercise, the Commission, with the involvement of citizens, would have improved the quality of the Register of Voters, which is the bedrock of a successful election.”

The voter register is also played on the Commission’s website for the first time to enable Nigerians make claims and objections online in fulfilment of INEC’s commitment to applying technology to improve the electoral process.