INEC Formally Accuses Kogi Gov, Bello of Double Registration

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally accused the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, of registering for the permanent voter card twice, in violation of federal electoral law.

The electoral body said Bello acted “illegally” to have registered for voter’s card in Abuja and Kogi, but said it could not take action against the governor because he is constitutionally protected from prosecution while in office.

Bello’s behaviour came to light when photographs showed him being registered for by INEC officials in his office in Lokoja, his state capital.

He had earlier been registered in Abuja.

The electoral commission, according to Premium Times, made its position on the scandal known yesterday.

“The governor’s double registration and doing so outside INEC’s designated centres are both illegal,” INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman Voter Education Committee, Solomon Soyebi, said yesterday.

The commission denied authorising any staff or citizen to “re-register him or any citizen or to do so outside our designated CVR centres.”

Soyebi confirmed Bello was first registered at Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, on January 30, 2011, but illegally did so again on May 23, during the ongoing continuous voters registration exercise, in his Lokoja, Kogi State, office.

He said the commission “is taking disciplinary action against the INEC staff involved,” but regretted the governor’s immunity would help him escape prosecution.