Kunle ADELABU
-CVR process may be decentralised
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the members of the public yet to register can now register for their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) on Saturdays and Sundays.
With only 31 days left to the closure of the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise, INEC announced that Nigerians can register for their PVC on weekends between August 1, 2018 and August 17, 2018.
Mr Buba, the representative of Directorate of Voters Education, Publicity, Gender, Civil Society Organization, INEC, Lagos, revealed this on ‘Ikorodu Div.#NotTooYoungToRun’, a social Whatssap platform related to Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria.
The INEC State official was a guest on the platform on Thursday, July 19, 2018, where he also shed more light on the ongoing CVR registration exercise.
Members of the platform having been spearheading the call for decentralization of the PVC registration exercise in Ikorodu because of the challenges being faced by the teeming residents who are yet to register.
Recently, the administrator of the Ikorodu Div.#NotTooYoungToRun, Mr Samson Bisiriyu and other people embarked on the collection of signatures calling for the decentralization. The campaign gathered over 600 signatures including that of elected representatives in Ikorodu division.
“A new schedule shall be distributed which Ikorodu is included to cover for the remaining days including weekends and public holidays”, Mr Buba stated.
He advised those who are yet to register to take advantage of the new schedule.
“In each case, such persons are to take advantage of the CVR exercise by visiting any of the designated centers to fill a transfer form that will place them at the polling unit close to where they currently reside.
He confirmed that discussion is still ongoing between INEC and the representatives of the ‘Ikorodu Div.#NotTooYoungToRun’ on the decentralization of the process of registration.
“Discussion is ongoing between your representative and the Electoral officer in charge of Ikorodu since the Commission has received signatures in that regard. The outcome of such discussion shall determine the next schedule for the CVR.
“About six hundred signatures were received.
“Designated centers shall be assigned and made available to you so as to mobilize your members.
“Before August 1st, the designated centers for CVR shall be available. Going forward, that of the PVC distribution shall be made known too”, he assured.
Responding to questions on the platform, Mr Buba confirmed that CVR suspension on August 17th would not affect the collection of PVC.
“The CVR will be suspended on the 17th of August 2018 but collection of PVC continues till one week to the general elections.
“The suspension of CVR will affect every activity except the distribution of permanent voter’s cards.
On those seeking transfer of their PVCs, the Electoral body image maker stated:
“PVC transfer is for those that relocated from where they were when the last voters registration took place. It can be from one state to another e.g Ogun to Lagos, or from a local government to another e.g Ikeja to Ikorodu.
“For those that lost their PVC, they should obtain an affidavit and bring it to the center for another card to be printed for them.
On creation of more pooling booth as been clamoured for by residents of Ikorodu division on the ground that there has been development of new areas and expansion since the last delineation, the INEC official disappointed many when he stated that the electoral body is not looking in that direction.
“For now, the Commission is not planning to create additional polling units but any polling unit with 500 voters and above a voting point shall be created to take care of the excess.
“It is a matter of legislation by the national Assembly”, he added.
For those registered and yet to get PVC, he directed them to visit the INEC website for confirmation.
“Go to www. voterreg.inecnigeria.org to confirm your status. If it is there, then you let INEC know and a new one shall be printed. If not, then you should register afresh. You can also check at the INEC office in case the card is there now.
On checkmating the problems of double registration, he stated that INEC has perfected plans immediately after the suspension of CVR to use Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to detect and remove such.
“After the exercise, what INEC plans to do after August 17th is to run an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to detect and delete double registration”, he stated.
