UNDERAGE VOTING IN KANO (2)

Mahmood Yakubu writes that the alleged underage voting in Kano is providing the electoral commission an opportunity to update and improve the electoral register

The INEC register contains 68.8 million valid entries, easily the largest single database of Nigerians in existence. It supports fingerprint matching for authentication of voters during elections using the SCR; and supports the introduction of machine readable, chip-based PVC; and ensures continuous updating through the continuous voter registration, as prescribed by law.

Under the present INEC, only 432,233 new registrants have been added to our national voter register. This represents 0.9 per cent increase on the register used for the 2015 general elections. These additions came essentially from the CVR carried out in 2015 and 2016 in states where we conducted offseason governorship elections namely Bayelsa, Kogi, Edo and Ondo as well as the FTC Area Council elections. From April 2017 when we commenced the CVR to December of the same year, some 3,981,502 new registrants were recorded, including figures from Anambra State Governorship election held in November 2017. This figure represents the first major additions to the register since this commission came on board. Even so, except for the 190,767 new registrants added to the voter register in Anambra State, the new registrants are just about to be added to the national register. It is important to remind us that this national register of voters has been used to conduct the 2011 and 2015 general elections, as well as several re-run, off-season and by-elections. Most of these elections have not only been adjudged to meet international standards but have also produced varied outcomes for different political parties at different times. Indeed, the register used in the Kano Local Government election of February 10, 2018 was the one compiled in 2011, updated in 2014 and used for the 2015 general elections. This commission did not add a single name to the voter register. As with all elections, some political parties have won and some have lost using the same register. In fact, many constituencies have changed from one political party to another between elections on the basis of the same register. Therefore, for anyone to suggest that the same register, on the basis of which political parties have won and lost elections at different times, is suddenly unreliable is curious to say the least.

Let me reiterate that this commission is convinced that we now have a dependable register, even if it is not perfect. We believe that it is a huge national asset, easily the largest database of Nigerians in existence today containing over 70 million entries of names, addresses, photographs, 10 fingerprints, telephone numbers, etc. I implore all Nigerians to see the value of this national asset and work with the commission to continue to improve it. Considering that there are few if any perfect voters roll anywhere, we can continue to work together with stakeholders and indeed all citizens to ensure that all ineligible registrants and entries are removed from the register and that eligible voters who have not registered take advantage of the ongoing CVR.

Let me also share with you what we have been doing and what we plan to do as a commission to continue to update the register and remove ineligible entries from it.

First, we have made registration more continuous than ever before, starting from April 2017. We regularly display the provisional register after each CVR exercise for claims and objections, as required by law. This usually lasts between five and 14 days. We appeal to Nigerians to always use the opportunity of this display to alert the commission about ineligible registrants, including underage persons and aliens, as well as incorrect details of registrants.

Second, also as required by law, we have consistently given political parties copies of the register for each year and ahead of general elections as well as governorship off-season elections. Only recently, on February 28, 2018, we gave each of the 68 political parties a copy of the register containing names of the 3.9 million new voters registered in 2017. We urged them to use the register not only to reach out to voters, but also to check whether there are ineligible persons on the list and draw the attention of the commission to them. Unfortunately, since this commission was inaugurated in 2015, there has not been a single report from any political party of ineligible voters on the register.

Third, we have been working with the Nigeria Immigration Service to eliminate aliens from the register by confiscating PVCs from aliens who are not entitled to vote, thereby identifying them for removal from the register. Furthermore, the Immigration Service has promised to post their officials to registration centres during CVR to check the incidence of alien registrants.

Fourth, we intend through our Registration Area Officers (RAOs) to engage communities in all our 8,809 registration areas or wards on a continuous basis to identify deceased persons and other ineligible registrants for removal from the register. We have developed a RAOs Log Book specifically for this engagement. We appeal to Nigerians to cooperate with them in identifying ineligible registrants for removal.

Fifth, we have also opened discussions with the National Population Commission (NPopC), which registers births and deaths, aimed at developing a dependable framework for identifying deceased persons for removal from the register.

Sixth, we intend to include major civil society groups and the media in the publication of the Register of Voters in the future. Section 20 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) provides that the register be published 30 days before a general election. In addition to political parties, we intend to include other categories of stakeholders by making available copies of the register to them. Of course, this is without prejudice to the right of every Nigerian to apply for and receive the Register on the payment of the necessary fees as enshrined in the Electoral Act. We hope that CSOs and the media will also join in identifying ineligible registrants for removal.

Seventh, after the ongoing CVR, which as the law provides will end not later than 60 days to the forthcoming general elections on February 16, 2019 – please note that the law says not later than 60 days, which means that the CVR must end on or before the 60th day to the election – we intend to display not only the provisional register, but the entire register at all the registration areas/wards across the country. This again will provide a good opportunity for all citizens to interrogate the register and identify ineligible registrants, including underage persons, for removal.

Finally, the commission notes the recommendation of the Nahuche Committee that collaboration between INEC and SIECs is necessary to improve the quality of elections in Nigeria, including local government elections. In fact, INEC has forged a longstanding relationship with the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FORSIECON), the umbrella body of SIECs. We shall continue to collaborate with FORSIECON towards establishing robust pathways to improving the quality of all elections conducted in Nigeria. Some of the ideas already mooted include drafting of a model law establishing SIECs to bring them in line with the electoral act and global best practices, as well as the development of voluntary “Guiding Principles for the Conduct of Free, Fair and Credible Elections in Nigeria” to which we expect all 37 Election Management Bodies in Nigeria to accede.