INEC bows to pressure, to extend voters’ registration

.Insists Reps resolution for 60-day extension not feasible

Following the recent intervention of the House of Representatives and public outcry, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has bowed to pressure and may extend the Continuous Voters Registration beyond the June 30 initial deadline.

However, the commission might not extend the deadline by another 60 days as requested by the House of Representatives.

The INEC has also not fixed a new period of grace as a moratorium.

Revealing the outcome of their interaction with INEC, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Aishatu Jibril Dukku, stated that their intervention was to implement a House resolution made last week, requesting INEC to extend the June 30 deadline.

According to her, the Committee met with INEC officials Tuesday following which they (INEC) agreed to look at the general election timetable and find a convenient bend and time to increase time for the Continuous Voters Registration, CVR because of public outcry

She explained that even though the commission admitted the need to extend the time for the exercise, it declined the 60-day grace requested by the legislature.

According to the INEC, “it was working with election timetable, which requires it to clean up the register, display voters register, among others, which time constraints may not allow the 60 days extension demanded in the House resolution from a motion sponsored by Ben Kalu APC Abia

Kalu’s motion has urged INEC to extend the continuous voters’ registration by another 60 days to enable more Nigerians register and participate actively in next year’s general elections amongst other prayers.

But still quoting excerpts from the meeting Hon. Dukku told newsmen that:

“We saw the challenges of people queuing up to collect their PVC. In response to the House resolution, the INEC was positive about it. However, the INEC, said it will inform Nigerians in view of how many days they will agree to extend it but needed time: To clean up the register and to display voters register”

She said while they agreed there is need to extend time for the exercise, they argued on the need for more machines to be provided to enable easy registration of voters.