INEC Didn’t Extend Deadline For Voter Registration By 60 Days – Rep Aisha Dukku

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, Aisha Dukku has made a U-turn on her statement, saying the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) didn’t agree to extend voter registration by 60 days.

INEC Voter Registration

KanyiDaily recalls that the House of Representatives had last Wednesday urged INEC to extend the deadline for voter registration by an extra 60 days from June 30, 2022, to enable more Nigerians to register.

The House had also called on the Commission to deploy additional staff and voter registration machines across the country to meet the objective.

Speaking on the floor of the house earlier on Wednesday, Dukku said the INEC had agreed with the resolutions of the House to extend the deadline by 60 days.

However, while briefing journalists after plenary, Dukku made a U-turn on her statement, saying the INEC didn’t agree to the request of the lower legislative chamber.

According to her, INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, only promised to “look at” the request of the lower legislative chamber because the electoral umpire has several activities on its timetable ahead of the 2023 general election.

She said,  “Part of what INEC told the house through the committee on electoral matters is that they are going to look at our request. However, whatever happens, they cannot be able to open the registration for the next 60 days because of the activities lined up before the general election,” she said.

“The registration of voters is one aspect. There are other schedules that have to be done which the chairman explained. Such include the printing of voter cards, distribution of the cards and the pasting of list of all persons registered in all 774 local governments nationwide.

“And so, it will not be possible. This is the statement— for INEC to extend for the days we requested. However, they will go back and look at their timeline and look at how possible they will be able to increase the days for registration.

“Mind you, they are already in court. The court has stopped them from closing the date for registration. In essence, INEC will inform Nigerians as to how many days they will be able to extend the registration in view of other milestones that they have to achieve.”

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi has called out the INEC over slow pace of voter registration in the South-East.