INEC releases methodology for claims, objections in voters’ register

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the methodology for claims and objections in register of voters by citizens.

Mr Festus Okoye, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said this in a statement in Abuja.

Okoye said that INEC at its weekly meeting on Thursday, deliberated on the approved methodology for the display of the entire national register of voters for claims and objections by citizens as required by law, ahead of the general election.

“As earlier announced by the commission, the entire preliminary register containing 93,522,272 registrants will be published. The exercise will last for 2 weeks, from Nov. 12 to Nov. 25.

“The physical copies of the register will be displayed in all the 8,809 Registration Areas (Wards) and 774 Local Government Areas on polling unit basis nationwide.

“For the first time, the soft copy of the entire register will also be published on the Commission’s website (visit www.inecnigeria.org/display_register and follow the instructions),” OKoye said.

Okoye said that the register would contain the name, picture, date of birth and Voter Identification Number (VIN) of each of the registered voters.

He, however, said that for data protection and security reasons, critical information such as biometric details, residential address, telephone numbers and email address of voters would not be made public in both physical and soft copies.

Okoye said that during the display, individuals can might make claim that the name of a registered voter had been omitted and could make corrections on his/her personal details on the register.

He said that citizens could also raise objection against the inclusion of any person either not qualified to vote or the name of a dead person on the register

“As the exercise commences on Saturday Nov. 12, we appeal to Nigerians to seize the opportunity to scrutinise the register.

“They should draw the Commission’s attention to any corrections in their personal particulars and any malicious registrations, multiple registrants, non-Nigerians or any other person not qualified to be on the register.”

Okoye said that detailed clarification on the processes and procedures for the exercise, including relevant forms, could be obtained from INEC ’s officials at the points of display at Registration Areas (Wards) and Local Government Areas.

He added that the information have also been uploaded to the commission’s website and social media platforms.

“By the provisions of the law, cleaning up the voters’ register is a collective national responsibility.

“So far, the commission has weeded out ineligible registrants using our Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).

“By working together with citizens, we can clean the register further as it is the critical foundation for credible elections,” he said.