The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday reacted to the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on voter’s registration ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon had earlier on Monday stopped the INEC from ending the exercise on June 30.
The judge gave the order while ruling on an ex parte motion filed by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
The INEC Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, who featured in a Channels Television programme, Politics Today, faulted the ruling, saying it would affect the commission’s plan.
He added that the court’s ruling was at variance with the processes relating to the preparation of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).
Okoye noted that the commission would not be able to manage the process and demanded the reversal of the ruling.
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He said: “This registration is meant for persons who have never registered before and those who have reached 18 years. Those whose PVCs are damaged or lost or those seeking correction regarding their details are not obligated to register again. I think this clarification is needed because people who registered before still go to registration centres again.
“Having said this, the commission will go before the Federal High Court on June 29 to explain all of this position. It will be a futile exercise to do continuous voter registration ad infinitum. At the end of the day, we will not be in the position to display register for claims and objections and double and multiple registrations and make available Permanent Voters cards of all those registered. These are all the things we need to do in relation to the registration exercise
“So the cut-off period of 90 days does not presuppose to let everything stop before that specified date. There are varieties of things to do before that period in order to get our voter’s register ready.
“We recognise that it’s the constitutional right of the people to register, we also recognise the fact it adds value to our electoral process to have as many Nigerians registered. But we can’t do CVR ad infinitum.”
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