INEC releases more machines for voters’ registration

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released more machines to ease the ongoing voter’s registration exercise.

This followed complaints from Nigerians about the problems in the exercise.

The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, who confirmed the development in a statement on Friday, said the commission’s response was to decongest the number of prospective voters across the country.

He assured Nigerians of effective monitoring of the process, adding that everyone would be duly registered.

The statement read: “The Independent National Electoral Commission has received reports from our states indicating an unprecedented surge in the number of citizens that wish to register as voters and the challenges they face across the country. In some states, the sudden turnout of prospective registrants is overwhelming.

“Consequently, the Commission convened an urgent meeting with all the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) yesterday Thursday 9th June 2022 to review the situation so that eligible Nigerians who wish to register are able to do so. The necessity for urgently deploy more voter enrollment machines to ease the congestion at the registration centres was identified as a priority.

“In response, the Commission has immediately released additional 209 machines deployed mainly in the five South-East states, Lagos and Kano where the pressure is most acute.

“The Commission will monitor the situation in the next few days. Thereafter, it will meet to review the progress of the exercise.

“Every step will be taken and all options will be explored to ensure that eligible Nigerians are given the opportunity to register as voters.

“The sudden change is an affirmation of the increasing confidence Nigerians have in our electoral process. The Commission will continue to ensure that this confidence is sustained.”