The Independent National Electoral Commission has denied claims by a Coalition of Civil Society Organizations that it violated some aspects of the 2022 Electoral Act.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu made clarifications at the validation meeting, for 2022 revised framework and regulations in Abuja
The CSOs accused INEC of non compliance with section 19(1) of Electoral Act 2022.
In 2019 , the Independent National Electoral Commission highlighted efforts to ensure Nigerians who have been displaced by conflicts and terrorism are not disenfranchised.
The insurgency in the North East, farmer herder crises , and other communal clashes across the country haa made it difficult id not impossible for those affected to partake in polls.
Nonetheless, INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu insists internally displaced persons must be factored into conduct of elections.
But getting that to work has not been easy and it has resulted in a lot of back and forth between the executive and legislators due to delays in signing the Electoral Act into law .
President Buhari finally bowed to pressure and 25th February 2022 signed the Electoral Amendment Bill into law .
At this meeting INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu responds to allegations by CSOS of non-compliance with section 19(1) of the Electoral Act
The CSOs are accusing INEC of a reluctance to display voter registers. But Professor Yakubu explains that the commission has only displayed the voters register at Local Government Area levels not at the registration centres as stipulated in the revised electoral acts .
He also disclosed that; INEC has not fixed a date for the activity in question , and when it is time , the commission will do the needful.
Lawmakers on their part commend INEC for its efforts in putting measures in place, to ensure free fair and credible elections by 2023, under sections 24(1) of the Amendment Electoral Act 2022.
Stakeholders are pleased to be part of the electoral process and laud INEC for their efforts at ensuring everyone is represented from all walks of life including IDPS.
The Commission discloses that dates will be announced as soon as it completes the ongoing Automated Biometrics Identification System to weed out all double or multiple as well as ineligible registrants .
