11 SPECIALREPORT
Thursday and yesterday work-free days to enable workers participate actively in the exercise in the state.
The Head of Service, Dr Olugbenga Faseluka, who stated this in a statement, warned that it was mandatory for all public servants to mobilise and participate in the exercise.
The exercise commenced across the 17 local government areas of Plateau State though Daily Trust observed that initially, some centres faced challenges from printers which was later was resolved and temporary voter cards were printed and made ready for collection from yesterday.
The registration kicked-off in the 27 local government areas of Imo State for people who attained 18 years this year and those who may wish to transfer from another state to Imo.
Our correspondent while monitoring the exercise in the state, visited the headquarters of Owerri Municipal Council where many unregistered voters came out to register.
The electoral officer, Mrs Chimdima Opara-Nestor, said they would issue permanent voters cards immediately after registration.
A prospective voter in Makurdi, Terna James, said he was impressed by the orderly manner INEC began the exercise but urged the commission to step up publicity to enable more people partake in the registration.
The exercise was flagged-off at the INEC office annex Kofar Ran on Thursday by Alhaji Shettima Baba Arfo with the Secretary of Bauchi State Government, Alhaji Bello Shehu Illelah.
Arfo stressed that the exercise would continue until the next election in 2019 as provided by Section 10 which empowers INEC to update the voters register periodically.
Speaking later at the flag off ceremony of the exercise, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Bello Shehu Illelah who represented Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, commended INEC for its effort to update the register and give opportunity to eligible Nigerians to exercise their civic responsibility.
When our reporter visited some registration centres in Bauchi yesterday, people adhered to the call to register.
The INEC Head of Media and Publicity in Bauchi State Aliyu Abubakar said the exercise had successfully started in all the 20 local government areas of the state.
Abubakar who spoke to our reporter on telephone said reports indicated that people were coming to register or rectify this problems.
The Administrative Secretary of INEC in Edo State, Mr Oscar-Lee Amaechi, said registration must be done in person and not by proxy and no one should do it twice, threatening that anyone caught registering for the second time would be prosecuted.
INEC officials in Sokoto said they would strive to ensure excellence in the conduct of the 2019 general elections. The commission’s National Commissioner in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, Hajiya Amina Zakari, disclosed this at the flag-off of the exercise at Wamakko Local Government Area.
She said the commission had introduced several innovative technologies for effective and efficient service delivery and to further enhance transparency in the electoral process.
Our correspondent monitoring the exercise in Ogun State reports that the turnout was impressive at Ifo, Obafemi Owode, Abeokuta North and Abeokuta South local government areas of the state.
The National Commissioner in charge of Ogun, Lagos and Ondo states, Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, represented by the Ogun State Administrative Secretary, Kayode Oladimeji, who spoke at the Abeokuta South office of INEC, disclosed that the electoral body was well prepared for the exercise, assuring that all registrants would by well taken care of.
One of the registrants, Tope Babatunde, told our correspondent that she was ready for the exercise because she had issues with her former card.
Hundreds of youth who attained 18 years of age are taking advantage of the exercise in the 11 local government areas of Gombe State.
The Administrative Secretary of INEC, Mr Greg Tarkumbur, said they had taken adequate security measures at the registration centres, adding that the commission would not condone under age registration.
People in Katsina and Osun states appeared to be apathetic about the exercise with stakeholders saying it was due to lack of adequate publicity and sensitization on the part of INEC.
Even during the official flag-off of the exercise in Batagarawa Local Government Area of Katsina State, officials were trying to fix electricity supply and computer equipment with only a few persons waiting to be registered.
Our correspondent who visited a number of polling booths that previously served as registration centres in Lagos observed that the exercise was yet to take off in many of them at the time of reporting yesterday.
The continuous voters registration exercise is particularly important in Lagos as the state braces up for the local government election in June.
Our correspondent who visited a number of polling booths that previously served as registration centres in Lagos observed that the exercise was yet to take off in many of them at the time of reporting yesterday. The exercise is particularly important in Lagos as the state braces up for the local government election in June