Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commision, INEC, has approved a window for those with pending cases during the voters registration exercise to conclude their registration.
The outgoing Resident Electoral Commisioner in Niger State North Central Nigeria, Professor Sam Egwu stated this during the handing over ceremony in Minna the state capital on Moday.
Professor Egwu ,who handed over to Alhaji Yakubu Duku, the administraive secretary of Inec in Niger State after the expiration of his tenure, mentioned that INEC has directed that all pending registration and transfer cases to be open for the completion of registration before the 18 of August ,2022.
“While physical appearance of new registrants or transfers have been stopped,there are pending approvals for people already on the processes awaiting different level of approvals,” Professor Egwu stated.
He further said that there were over eleven thousand pending cases of transfer cards in Niger State, and about thirty nine thousand permanent voters cards have so far been printed and ready for distribution by the Commission
He said, “Plans are on by the commission on how to reach out to the owners in their respective local government areas”.
The outgoing INEC Resident electoral Commissioner said that the commission has registered over 385,854 people during the concluded voters registration exerise.
He stated that the commission has created about 4,950 poling units across the 25 Local government areas of the State.
“INEC has created additional polling units in addition to the already existing poling units across the State, basically to ensure every polling units do not have less than 50 voters during elections, and to make sure there are no zero polling units.
“One of the major challenges ahead of the Commissioner in Niger State before the general elections is to educate people on the locations of new polling units before and during elections,” Professor Egwu explauned.
He commended political parties in the state on the concluded primary elections, stating that 19 disputes have been reported by aggrieved contestants, of which 4 of the cases have been withdrawn ,while 15 are awaiting trials. .
Professor Sam Egwu also said that the electoral Commission in Nigeria, has fully prepared for the seventh successive general election in the Country.
He said the Commission was looking forward for the 2023 elecion that would served as defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy.
“The commission has concluded plans of tracking campaign financing by political parties,as part of its measures of policing the role of money during the elections,” he said.
He urged the media to partner with the electoral Commission in conducting a free and fair 2023 elections in the Country.
The Professor of Political ecnomics says Nigeria’s elections can be regarded as consolidating, going by the global standard of democracy that are consolidating.
Confidence Okwuchi
