Soyebi: INEC to register 80 political parties, 85m voters

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is certain about registering 80 political parties and 85 million voters for the 2019 general elections, it’s National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education Deji Soyebi said in Abuja yesterday. He spoke at the 15th Daily Trust Dialogue. 

Soyebi, who represented INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu at the event, said at the moment 68 political parties have been registered while 90 others are at different stages of qualification. He added that that about 74 million voters have been registered while it is projected that 85 million would be registered by 2019. He said the enormity of the task ahead of making the ballot the only means of determining who wins election in Nigeria has informed the decision for early preparation with the release of a timetable with 49 major items.

He said, “That was why we gave this timetable well in advance, more than a year to the time so that all of us can prepare adequately and properly for the election.” He said apart from the United States, Nigeria practices the largest presidential electoral system with 51 percent of total election voters in Africa. He said the electoral umpire has programmes for the youth, women, IDPs, and physically challenged voters.

Responding to questions from the audience on what the present INEC leadership is doing to educate the people; he listed the INEC Half Hour on TV and information of its website, adding that the timetable will soon be published in all the national newspapers.