The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the nation’s media to support the successful take off of its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) on June 28.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the plea on Monday in Abuja, at the second quarterly consultative meeting of the commission with media executives.
According to him, such support was critical for the success of the programme.
“The expansion of voters’ access to polling units has prepared the ground for the discharge of another important responsibility of the commission.
“The registration of eligible Nigerians as voters is one of the immediate task before the commission.
“Consequently, in the next one week, that is Monday June 28, the commission will resume the CVR nationwide.
“In doing so, the commission is introducing a portal to enable eligible Nigerians to commence registration as voters online, before completing the exercise physically at designated centres nationwide,” Yakubu said.
He noted that this is the first time a major exercise of this nature was being handled partially online consistent with the commission’s commitment to continue to deepen the use of technology in the electoral process in Nigeria.
He said, “Just like the expansion of voter access to polling units, the commission appeals to the media for support, so that this novel idea will also be successful.’’
He said the commission intended to undertake the CVR for at least one year and that the success of the exercise depended to a considerable extent on citizens’ awareness through voter education.
He also commended the media for its support, especially on the conversion of voting points to polling units in Nigeria which was increased from 119,974 to 176,846.
The event also witnessed the demonstration of the procedure for the proposed online registration.
The new INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED) was also unveiled at the event.
Responding President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Chris Isiguzo,
pledged the media’s continued support for INEC, especially on the CVR and other activities geared towards deepening the electoral process.
He expressed delight that media engagements with INEC were yielding positive results, especially on the expansion of voters’ access to poling units.
He commended INEC for working towards digitalisation of the electoral process in Nigeria.
“I believe by the time this process is effectively deepened such issues or vices that have always being major challenges to the delivery of credible election would have given way.
“By the time most of these activities take place online, we will have substantially addressed our problems,” Isiguzo said.
He also advised INEC to use the off season elections to cement the electoral process ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He expressed optimism that once the country got the electoral act right, major challenges of the electoral process would have been addressed.
