Rep Aisha Duku, Chairman, House Committee on INEC, said this while addressing the House on the outcome of its meeting with INEC during plenary on Wednesday in Abuja.

The House of Reps had on June 15 directed that the committee should meet with the electoral umpire following a motion by Rep. Benjamin Kalu (APC-Abia).

The House urged INEC to extend the voter registration by 60 days.

Recall that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) was earlier scheduled to end on June 30.

Duku in her submission, said the electoral umpire agreed on all its resolutions, including the extension of voters registration.

She added that INEC told the committee that the registration days would now include weekends with additional hands to ensure a smooth exercise.

According to her, all the prayers contained in the motions were approved.

In his motion, Kalu said in April, INEC declared that about 42 per cent of the voter registrations recorded since the commencement of CVR on 28 June, 2021, were invalid with about 20 million unclaimed Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

He added that the large number of unregistered eligible voters, willing to be registered as evidenced by crowd seen at various registration centres, had resulted in congestion.

Kalu stated that if nothing was done to improve the shortage of voter registration equipment, and extend the deadline for voters registration, millions of Nigerians would be disenfranchised, which would jeopardise the integrity of the 2023 general elections.

As part of its resolution, the house, therefore mandated the Committee on Electoral Matters to engage INEC, to examine and proffer solutions to the shortage of registration machines and manpower.

The House also urged INEC to deploy an additional 30 voters registration machines in each local government area, train and deploy ad hoc staff to improve the shortage of manpower at registration centres.

The House resolved that security should also be provided for the staff and report back within two weeks.

Also, the House mandated its Committee on Electoral Matters to engage with INEC to “examine and proffer solutions to the shortage of registration machines and manpower.”

The engagement is to also see to the deployment of an additional 30 voter registration machines in each of the 774 local government areas, train and deploy ad hoc staff to improve the shortage of manpower at registration centres and provide security for the ad hoc staff.

The committee is to report back within two weeks for further legislative action.

A member of the House, Benjamin Kalu, had at the plenary on Wednesday moved a motion titled ‘Need for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Extend the Deadline of Continuous Voters Registration, Deploy Additional Staff and Voters Registration Machines Across the Country.’

Kalu, in the motion, noted that the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration exercise by INEC is scheduled to end on June 30, ahead of the elections. He also noted that the decision to suspend the exercise is in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires the Commission to suspend voter registration at least 60 days before an election.

The lawmaker recalled that in April 2022, INEC declared that about 42 per cent of the voter registrations recorded since the commencement of CVR on June 28, 2021, were invalid with about 20 million unclaimed PVCs.

He said, “The House is cognizant of the large numbers of unregistered eligible voters willing to be registered as evidenced by crowds seen at various registration centres resulting in congestion.

“The House is concerned about reports of shortages of voter registration machines, inadequate manpower and personnel at registration centres, which may lead to frustrations among prospective registrants and in some cases, unrest at some registration centres.

“The House is also aware of calls from concerned citizens and civil societies urging INEC to extend the voters’ registration deadline to accommodate eligible voters desiring to register for their Permanent Voters Cards.”

Kalu stated that the right to vote is “critically important to the health and legitimacy of our democracy, as well as electoral integrity.”

He said, “If nothing is done to improve the shortage of voter registration equipment and extend the deadline for voter registration, millions of Nigerians will be disenfranchised, thus jeopardising the integrity of the 2023 general elections.”

The INEC National Commissioner, Mr Festus Okoye, made this announcement at a news briefing on the preparations for the Gwaram bye-election in Dutse.

The Commissioner said, “The INEC Voter Registration Portal will be deployed to enable people register online and thereafter go to their respective state or local government office of the commission to capture their biometrics and facials.

“Those that want to transfer their registration from one place to another can also make use of the online portal.

“Those that have prior issues of accreditation and with damaged or defaced PVC’s can also use the online portal to rectify the challenge.’’

He, also disclosed that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, would make known the time for the commencement of the physical registration at the end of the consultation with critical stakeholders.