Patience Leonard, PBA Journalism Mentee and Caleb Ifeanyi Onah, PBA Journalism MenteeBy Patience Leonard and Caleb Ifeanyi Onah
Prime Business Africa investigation in some parts of Lagos revealed that there is large number of people who troop out daily to various INEC centers for registration but face few officials and available machines which leave many frustrated and disappointed.
The recent unprecedented surge in the turn out of citizens for voter registration across the country due to ongoing political reawakening appears to have taken the Independent National Commission (INEC) unawares, requiring that they brace up for the challenge in order to meet up.
Recall that the official deadline was supposed to be end of June 2022, but was extended following a court ruling secured by Socio Economic Rights and Accountability Projects (SERAP) and 185 concerned Nigerians.
Join our WhatsApp Channel“Following a suit by SERAP and 185 concerned Nigerians, Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court, Abuja has stopped INEC from ending voter registration,” SERAP had tweeted about the court ruling.
READ ALSO: Court Bars INEC From Ending Voter Registration On June 30
The voter registration exercise began in June 2021 and will be 12 months by the end of this month. The upsurge is shocking compared to low or no turnout witnessed since the registration began.
Prime Business Africa observation at various centres has shown that both INEC staff and the people are highly affected by this late registration clamour. For example, in Lagos Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area, no fewer than 300 persons gather everyday at the LGA to get registered.
Those who spoke to Prime Business Africa shared their painful experiences regarding the exercise. Okafor Chinagorom, a voter registrant said “This is my third day of coming here consecutively but unfortunately I do not get lucky enough to be among those attended to everyday. I came here by 3am today just to get number 47. Luckily for me, someone with number 35 dropped his/her tag and I got hold of it. That was why I was lucky today and I hope I’ll be attended to.”
Mrs. Nike Adelekan lamented that she was number 133 after she came by 6:30 in the morning.
Another registrant who identified as David Abraham said he had been at the Centre several times at exactly 3am but was only able to register on the third day.
When asked about his reason for devoting time the his Permanent Voter Card (PVC), he said an opportunity for change long sought was available and he would do anything to make sure it takes place. “It is an opportunity for change we have been looking for since.”
It was observed that there’s usually a long list written by the people themselves, and in reverse, officials work with another list.
An INEC staff who pleaded anonymity at Ikeja Local Government, disclosed that they do not work with any list written by people due to many falsifying names and figures. Rather, once they start work by 9-9:30 am, fresh numbers are being given to everyone on ground.
This technique does not seem to satisfy the registrants as many complain of being given numbers not due to them in most cases.
The staff also stated that while they are supposed to close work by 3pm, they work late into the night as far as 8pm sometimes to register over 70 to 80 voters per day.
INEC in its official Twitter handle, however, said the number of fresh registered voters as at 7am, Monday 27th June 2022 is 10,487,972. This is week 11 of the fourth quarter since the exercise began in 2021.
The INEC data also revealed that it recorded 8,631,696 completed registration (3,250,449 is online, while 5,381,247 for physical registration)
By gender, there are 4,292,690 registered male and 4,339,006 female voters.
Youths constitute 6,081,456 which represents 58 per cent; Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) recorded 67,171 (0.64 per cent).
Prime Business Africa, however gathered that despite the large number of people trooping to Isolo/Oshodi LGA, only 40 persons are being attended on daily basis. Efforts to hear from the officials regarding this proved abortive.
The process seems to be slow due to few available machines. For instance, at Ikeja Local Government, the INEC officials only operate with two machines in the center but has the total of six in the whole LGA. Prime Business Africa also gathered that only one registration machine is used in Oregun High School, Alausa, Lagos.
At the Oshodi/isolo registration centre, a lady identified herself as Jessica Samson said lamented about having wasted many hours trying to get it done, but the whole place had been rowdy, but at some point order was established.
She vowed to continue coming to the centre until she gets registered. Speaking on the way forward, she said INEC should deploy more registration machines to enable them register more people on daily basis.
Due to the surge, those who registered online are struggling with fresh registrants to complete the process.
A registrant who didn’t want her name mentioned retorted that the online registration was useless and a waste of time for her, as she was required to still stay on the queue to register afresh.
Online registration has since ended on 30 May thereby making the work more tedious for INEC Officials.
Patience Leonard, PBA Journalism Mentee
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