The
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has registered five new
political parties, on the grounds that sponsors met the registration criteria
and
constitutional requirements.
National
Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Prince
Adedeji Soyebi, disclosed this after a weekly meeting of national commissioners
in Kaduna.
The
newly-registered parties are: Young Progressive Party (YPP), Advanced People’s
Democratic Alliance (APDA), New Generation Party of Nigeria (NGP), All
Democratic Peoples Movement (ADPM) and Action Democratic Party (ADP).
INEC has
also said it has spent N463.227 million on the ongoing Continuous Voter
Registration (CVR).
Speaking
during a retreat on Mid-Quarter Review of CVR, held in Kaduna, yesterday, INEC
Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed the Commission considered three
options before settling for the less expensive option of executing the CVR
through its Local Government Area (LGA) offices.
“This is the
first time, in the history of elections, in Nigeria, that INEC is embarking on
a continuous registration of voters in the manner prescribed by the Electoral
Act.
“Although
Section 9 (6) of the Electoral Act empowers the Commission to determine
registration centres and notify the public what is the best method for
achieving the goal of making the exercise both continuous and accessible, the
Commission considered three options.
“Polling
Unit (PU) level, Registration Area (RA) or Ward level, INEC Local Government
Area (LGA) offices or such other places as may be determined by the Commission.
A comparative analysis of the options shows that while the indicative cost of
polling unit is N137.467 billion, the cost of registration area is N21.030
billion, while INEC LGA offices is
N463.227 million. The Commission decided to commence the exercise at LGA level,
based on the following considerations;
“The
provision for CVR in the Commission’s 2017 budget is N1,216,346,068 for all VR
activities, including off-season elections that have become regular since the
2015 general elections. The LGA level is the only affordable option that can be
accommodated within the current budgetary allocation.
“The
Commission adopted a quarterly approach to the exercise in order to allow for
the publication of names of new registrants (minimum of 5 and maximum of 14
days) for claims and objections as required by law (Sec. 19[1] of the Electoral
Act). This sequence shall continue until 60 days to the 2019 General Election
when it will be suspended as required by law (Sec. 9[5] of the Electoral Act).
It will resume after the general elections.
“The
aggregate of these challenges have been articulated by the Commission and will
be presented to this retreat by Director (Voter Registry) for consideration,
discussion and suggestion.Special consideration (the case of Anambra State).
The CVR will be devolved to RA level, as was done in off-season general
elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, Edo, Ondo and FCT Area councils elections. The date
will very soon be announced by the Commission
“The aim of
the on-going CVR exercise is to give all eligible Nigerians who have not
registered the opportunity to do so and those who had issues from previous
registration exercises the chance to address them
“Taking the
exercise to the doorsteps of Nigerians is ideal but cost and other requirements
are huge obstacles. NEC is committed to the CVR as enshrined in the Electoral
Act and ensuring that all eligible Nigerians are registered to vote,” said
Yakubu.
Meanwhile,
INEC resolved, after a two-day workshop in Kaduna, to partner with other
regulatory agencies and professional bodies to ensure compliance with agreed
code of conduct and statutes, especially with regards to incidence of
incitement and hate speech.
A communique
from the workshop “stressed on the need to enhance feedback mechanisms with
inbuilt monitoring and evaluation system, premised on an inclusive and
participatory approach, through regular engagement and strategic communication
with stakeholders, to positively influence opinion and solicit understanding,
support and buy-in on major Commission decisions.
“It also
emphasised that the delivery of messages should take into account the
socio-cultural, religious and linguistic diversity, as well as the population
mix and peculiarities of our political environment and electoral system.
“Taking into
cognisance all extant status and provisions, the revised policy should develop,
manage and sustain innovative and proactive communication capacity to promote
internal cohesion, public trust, common vision and values. The Commission will
also partner with other regulatory agencies and professional bodies to ensure
compliance with agreed code of conduct and statutes, especially with regards to
incidence of incitement and hate speech.”
0 Comments