Kunle Adelabu
-Charges residents to do registrations, corrections online
Problems that are usually created by distance, especially for those residing in new developed areas in Ikorodu Local Government of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, during the general elections may have been resolved by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Commission has announced that additional 352 Poling Units (PUs) in addition to the existing 330 PUs, have been created in these areas to resolve challenges facing residents in moving from their new area to old ones where they registered.
The Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner revealed this at the Ikorodu Local Government, Community Development Committee (CDC) 2021 Annual Interactive Session held at the Council Secretariat hall last week.
The Commissioner was represented at the session by Mrs Aribisala, the INEC Officer in Ikorodu LG.
“Before now, we had 330 Polling Units (PU) in Ikorodu Local Government but due to challenges during election and registration, INEC decided to add another 352 PU which is more than the existing PU”, she said.
“We now have 682 PU in Ikorodu. You will discover that some CDAs now have PU that is close to me and they don’t need to move to far places to vote during elections.
According to the INEC representative, there are now over 13, 000 Polling Units in Lagos State from the 8000 plus that existed at the last general elections.
Mrs Aribisala, who blamed residents for their inability to do voters' registration or get their cards, said that there is a need for Nigerians to have a change of mindset which has been impacting negatively.
“People have the mindset that their votes will not count and fail to register during the voters’ registration period.
“They also see voters’ cards as a means of identification when they have problems in banks or when they ask for their identity.
“People know that an INEC card is one of the valid identities that they can use anytime. That is the mindset of the people.
“We need to change all these mindsets, especially the mindset that they can’t waste their time at registration centres and that they can always do the registration anytime”, she appealed.
She said these are the reasons people waited till the time of election to register or collect their PVC which, according to her, is usually too late.
“During the distribution of PVC, we took them near the people's places, but they refused to come out and pick the PVC. They preferred to come down to the INEC office to pick them. We thank God that we did not record any casualty during that period”, she added.
However, she said that part of the solutions to meet the yearnings of Nigerians who have issues with registration is the commencement of the Continuous Voters’ Registration (CVR).
“Part of the solutions is the CVR which is now here. It will take one year before we finish it”, she said.
“INEC now has an online registration process that you can do in the comfort of your house. You can do it on our websites: ‘cvr.inecnigera.org’ or ‘cvr.inecnigeria.gov.ng’
Explaining the process further, the INEC representative said that any Nigerian that has attained the age of 18 years on or before the day that the CVR process began on June 18 or those yet to register before are eligible to register.
“CVR is an exercise for Nigerians who turned 18 years after the last registration exercise or others who could not register due to one reason or the other in the previous exercise”, Aribisala said.
The INEC representative also stated that those that had registered before but whose names, addresses, photographs, finger print were not captured or wrongly captured should participate in the CVR for corrections.
She said that residents willing to do registration can do it in the comfort of their homes and submit the printout at the INEC office, starting from July 19.
While stating that the process is now seamless, the INEC officer also assured that everybody will be attended to.
“The era of waking up at 4.00am to queue at the GRA gate (the location of the INEC office in Ikorodu) for registration is over. You also don’t need to bribe the security to get your way into our office anymore.
“Registration is free. Transfer is free. Voters' cards are free. Anything that you want to do is free.
“All that you need to do can be done in the comfort of your house provided that you have email and if you don’t have an email, we are going to start it on July 19 at our office, you can come around and you don’t need to rush.
“Just come there and we will attend to you between 9.00am and 3.00pm everyday excluding public holidays and weekends for now.
She added eligible voters who do not have email to do the registration online should come to their office to have theirs done.
“Anybody that wants to register and he or she does not have an email, such person should come to the INEC office from July 19”, she said.
“On the issue of date of birth or correction of any detail on the Voters’ Card, affected voters should go to the website and must provide the date of birth certificate or declaration of age. With that, you should be able to correct it.
“After you might have filled the necessary details online, print it out and submit it in our office anytime from July 19.
Explaining further on residents with issues with their cards or transfer to new PU, she said that such details of such voters can be reviewed online for corrections.
“Regarding those that registered at their old places and were unable to vote during elections, such can do transfer to their present place of residence”, she said.
“You can transfer your card anywhere in this country. You also need to go through the website and fill the information review form and do transfer”, she added.
“We have new Polling Units now and you can transfer from your old/existing PU to new ones even within your RA.
On voters that have been facing difficulties regarding the inability of their Card Readers to recognize their fingers, Mrs Aribisala said:
“If the Card Reader could not read your Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) during the election, it is possible that you have a problem with your finger print. Such persons should do the needful by going online to log onto our website to do reviews.
“If your card reader is damaged or not recognizing your finger, just feel the correct detail where you are asked on the site, print it out and also bring it to the INEC office where we are going to take your fingerprint again and you will be able to vote in the next election”, she said.
