Group Faults INEC Over Poor Publicity Of Display Of Preliminary Voters Register

An election monitoring group identified as Yiaga Africa has reacted to what it described as the poor publicity by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the display of the Preliminary Register of Voters (PRV) for public scrutiny across the federation.

Naija News reports that the election monitoring group alleges that the poor publicity of the display of PRV as directed in Section 19 of the Electoral Act, 2022 by INEC has resulted in a low turnout of citizens for the exercise.

The aim of the display PRV is to give Nigerians the chance to check their details on the register to make claims and objections for correction towards the 2023 general election.

According to the group, no fewer than 822 citizen observers were deployed to the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the 36 states for coverage of the exercise.

The group in its preliminary assessment of the display exercise by INEC observed a number of challenges and discrepancies in the process.

Yiaga Africa also faulted INEC over what it described as poor publicity, a development that is manifesting in low citizens’ awareness and late commencement of the process on November 12 when it kicked off the exercise.

The group’s report revealed that the poor publicity could be possibly responsible for low citizens’ awareness and turnout in most states across the federation.

It furthered that the exercise started late in most centres across the federation, especially in Kano Central Senatorial Districts, where the process commenced late with centres opening at 1:00 pm.

The election monitoring group also expressed worry over the low turnout of Nigerians for the exercise that would be concluded on Saturday 25 November 2022.

Naija News learnt that Yiaga Africa also alleged that INEC did not start to display the temporary register on the first day of the exercise, noting that it observed that in some wards visited in Egbeda in Oyo state, the INEC officials were not aware of the assignment for the exercise until late in the day.

The group advanced that in Ibadan North, lesser numbers of electorates turned out on the first day to check their details on the register to make claims and objections.

It added that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Delta, Ekiti, Kogi and Osun states recorded a slow start in some of the wards visited due to a possible lack of citizens’ awareness.

Yiaga Africa further submitted that “In Kogi state, for instance, the process started at noon in Adumu Egume Ward and Ojikpadala ward in Dekina LGA. The same was also reported in Eni and Oshobane wards in Ogori Magongo LGA of Kogi state.

“No Public Display of the Register of Voters in some locations at Commencement: Reports from 28% or 420 of the 1,497 of the registration areas (ward) visited, revealed that INEC did not publicly display the temporary voters’ registers at the commencement of the exercise on Saturday, 12 November 2022.

“For instance, WTV observers reported that the process did not commence on day 1 of the exercise in some of the wards visited in Jigawa North East Senatorial District, Jigawa state. Also in most wards in Ife Central, Ife North, and Ede North LGA of Osun state.

“Reports from Kogi also noted the absence of a temporary register of voters in the Ejule, Ankpa, Ojoku and Enejma wards of the state. Reports from Delta State also revealed that due to the recent flooding challenge that affected 19 LGAs in the state, the Display, Claims and Objections did not commence in many communities and there were no INEC officials present to provide information on when the display will begin.

“The same goes for the hard terrains of the states. From Akwa Ibom, reports revealed that there was no Display of the Preliminary register of voters at the commencement date in the wards visited in Ikono, Etinan, Okobo, Urue Offong/Oruko, Ibiono Ibom, Ukanafun & Nsit Ibom LGAs.

“From Osun, reports indicated that the voters’ register was not displayed in most of the wards visited in Ife Central, Ife North and Ede South Local Governments on Saturday. The delay in commencement for Ede South LGA may be due to the fire inferno that engulfed the INEC office on Thursday, November 10, 2022.

“WTV Observer from Batsari LGA in Katsina State reported that the Register of Voters was not pasted on the walls, because only one(1) copy was provided and they were expected to make all necessary corrections on it and return it back to the INEC office at the end of the activity and display of all the 11 wards within the LGA was done in one ward (GPSS) Batsari.

“Absence of Revision Officers during the Display of the Register in some Wards visited: In Ngwa iyi ekwe ward 13 and in Ugwunago LGA in Abia State and Osuowerre Ward 1in Isiala Mbano LGA of Imo state, the Preliminary Register of Voters was displayed but there were no INEC revision officials present to provide assistance at the centre this was also the case in Umu azu Central Primary School Ward 4, and Achala Uno Primary School Ward 5 in Oyi LGA, Ebogidi Akpu Ward 3 and Central School ukpo Ward 2 in Dunukofia LGA, Ogwu Ikpele Ward and Akili Ogidi Ward in Ogbaru LGA of Anambra State.”

The monitoring group gave recommendations which include the permanent display of the Preliminary Register of Voters in locations that are physically accessible to citizens for the duration of the display, claims and objection exercise.

It also recommended that even though INEC has introduced the online process of the exercise, it is important to note that the population of electorates that are not tech savvy to utilise the online platform is large.

The group also appealed to the electoral body to provide information to voters in communities affected by floods on where their Display exercise will be conducted.

It added that “INEC and other stakeholders especially political parties should intensify the publicity of the Display, Claims and Objections exercise and also increase voter education on the importance of scrutinising voters’ review of the temporary voters’ register.

“Security agencies should ensure effective distribution and adequate presence of their personnel in all registration areas to neutralize threats and increase citizens’ confidence, especially in locations where there is a higher likelihood of intimidation and violence.

“Citizens should continue to engage in the electoral process, especially by checking their details in the published voters’ register to ensure they can vote in the 2023 elections.”