The Independent National Electoral Commission in Kebbi State has convened a stakeholders’ roundtable meeting to garner inputs on how to boost and encourage residents to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
Speaking at the meeting, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abubakar Sarkin Pawa Dambo, said the essence of the forum was to listen to contributions and complaints from political parties, civil society organizations, and the media, who he described as critical stakeholders in the electoral process.
Dambo noted that INEC is committed to ensuring a seamless voter registration process, hence the need to brainstorm with partners on the way forward so that no group or individual feels left behind.
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Some participants at the meeting called for an extension of the exercise as well as logistics support to enable potential registrants to reach designated centres. Others emphasized the need for an intensified public awareness campaign to ensure wider participation across the state.
In his response, the REC reiterated that voter registration is the right of every Nigerian aged 18 and above. He, however, clarified that INEC is not responsible for transporting registrants to designated venues, stressing that community elders may voluntarily assist their people where necessary.
The meeting, held at the INEC Collation Hall in Birnin Kebbi, was attended by representatives of political parties including the PDP and APC, civil society groups, the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), and members of the media.
