TheCable

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has removed names of ineligible persons from the voters’ register.

Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, announced this on Wednesday at a meeting with political parties at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

In November 2022, the commission published the preliminary register of voters across LGAs and on its website.

The commission said it displayed the register for eligible voters to confirm their details, as well as for Nigerians to report ineligible persons captured in the register.

Subsequently, Nigerians took to social media with snapshots of sections of the register showing pictures of persons who appeared to be below the age of 18.

Some of the snapshots posted also showed what appeared to be multiple registrations in some states.

Speaking on Wednesday, Yakubu said the commission received more than 53,000 objections to the register, after which the ineligible voters were removed.

“After the cleaning up of the data from the last continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise, 9,518,188 new voters were added to the previous register, resulting in the preliminary register of 93,522,272, which was presented to Nigerians for claims and objections as required by law,” he said.

“At the end of the period for claims and objections by citizens, the commission received 53,264 objections from Nigerians to the prevalence of ineligible persons on the register by virtue of age, citizenship, or death.

“These names have been verified and removed from the register.”

The INEC chairperson also assured Nigerians that the commission is not contemplating the postponement of the general election.

“In short, at no time in the recent history of the commission has so much of the forward planning and implementation been accomplished 44 days ahead of a general election,” he said.

“Therefore, the commission is not contemplating any adjustment to the election timetable, let alone the postponement of the general election.

“The repeated assurance by the security agencies for the adequate protection of our personnel, materials, and processes also reinforces our determination to proceed.

“The 2023 general election will hold as scheduled. Any report to the contrary is not the official position of the commission.”