TheCable

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is yet to receive official communication from the house of representatives on its resolution regarding the nation’s voters’ register.

The house of representatives had asked INEC to delete from the register names of voters who failed to cast ballots in two election cycles.

The lower legislative chamber also asked the commission to include “voter verification” during continuous voter registration to identify and remove fake, dead or non-existent names.

While moving the motion, Leke Abejide, an African Democratic Congress (ADC) lawmaker from Kogi, alleged that the INEC register is “full of millions of people who are dead and non-existent”.

He added that it was “glaring and crystal clear” during the general election that names of people who were “long dead” were still displayed on the voters’ register.

“Even my own deceased father who passed on long ago still has his name displayed on the board (voter register),” he said.

Speaking with journalists on Friday, Rotimi Oyekanmi, chief press secretary to INEC chairman, said while the media has reported the resolution, the commission is yet to receive any form of communication from the house of assembly on the matter.

“Our attention has been drawn to media reports of the resolution passed by the house of representatives on Friday, asking INEC to take certain actions on the national register of voters,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“However, it is also the tradition of the house to officially transmit such resolutions with details of what transpired to the commission each time such specific resolutions are passed, to enable INEC take the required steps.

“But the commission is yet to receive any communication from the house to that effect. Therefore, I cannot respond on the basis of media reports.”