A group of Civil Society Organisation (CSOs) have urged the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to extent the on-going continuous voter registration exercise slated to end on June 30, 2022, as well as online pre-registration for May 30, 2022, to enable eligible voters to be accommodated.
The CSos made the call in a statement signed by the Executive Director, Speak Out Africa Initiative, Kenneth Eze; Team Lead, YVoteNaija, Kabibeeb Adewale; Executive Director, PROMAD Foundation, Daisi Omokungbe; Team Lead, Civily, Eme Lekuwa; Founder, Policy Shapers, Ebenizar Wikina; Executive Director, LEAD Africa, Ephraim Okenwa; and Executive Director, Gender Mobile Initiative, Omowumi Ogunrotimi.
“Rising from the influx trailing the recent turnout of Nigerians willing to perform their civic duties in 2023 off-cycle elections, vis-a-vis the odd against them regarding time, especially the first-time voters, it is unavoidably pertinent that the electoral umpire considers the extension of the deadline for continuous voter registration earlier slated for June 30, 2022, and online pre-registration for May 30, 2022, to enable more enthusiastic eligible voters to be accommodated democratically.
“In addition, it will also allow those who want to move/transfer their PVC, correct names, and date of birth, to do so,” the statement read in part.
According to the organisations, it would have been a more widely acceptable option to extend the continuous voter registration to give room for more Nigerians to exercise their franchise rather than, “What many see as having played to the gallery of political parties cum politicians regarding INEC’s one-week extension of party primaries.
“To date, the larger society still finds it difficult to come to terms with the rationale why the INEC suddenly rescinded her earlier position of not going to yield to the political party’s pressure on party primary extension even when there was no convincing basis for doing such.
“A more worrying part is the reactions from many quarters casting aspersions on INEC’s image as not truly independent, which is not good for the institution, especially from the leading opposition party who were in the wee of their presidential primary while the announcement was made, a scenario many view as changing the goal post when the match had already started.”
The organisations, which acknowledged INEC early kickoff notice for citizens to go out for continuous voter registration, however, noted: “We must also take cognizance of the teeming new potential voters, most of which are moved by the recent development of events in the country as well as CSOs voter education campaigns across the board.
“Alarmingly, this set of voters is now being driven by new narratives against the old norm; embracing the power of the ballot. Hence, the door must not be shut at them as in them lies our strength as a nation, and we must harvest them.
“… Furthermore, such extension would not impact negatively the INEC’s election calendar and activities. To be candid, if voting is as important as the INEC always claims, now is the time to show that Nigerian voters will be treated equally and fairly as the future of Nigeria’s democracy depends on it.”
