The National Assembly has urged the Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to take immediate steps to conduct physical registration of voters throughout the country.
This was to protect the thousands of potential voters in Nigeria from being disenfranchised in the forthcoming elections in 2023.
The resolution followed the unanimous adoption of a motion calling on INEC to urgently deploy physical enumerators and other assistance to conduct new voters registration across all Federal Constituencies.
Sponsor of the motion, Abubakar Makki Yalleman from Jigawa State said many Federal Constituencies especially rural areas have been placed at a disadvantaged position due to non-availability of registration centers and officials, inadequate power supply, insufficient operational tools and equipment as well as inadequate enlightenment program.
Worried that if the voter’s registration exercise is concluded without addressing the above-mentioned challenges, thousands of potential voters in Nigeria will be disenfranchised during the forthcoming elections.
Yelleman urged that given the current realities in the constituencies, INEC may need to engage in both physical and virtual processes by introducing physical enumerators to make up for the lapses in the online registration exercise.
Adopting the motion, the House mandated its committee on electoral matters to ensure compliance to the resolution.
Emmanuel Ukoh
