SERAP insists voters registration should be extended, or it sues INEC

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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to extend voters’ registration or face legal action.

The group declared this in a letter dated 13 August 2022, signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare. SERAP ask INEC to “immediately give seven million Nigerians who have carried out their voter registration online the time and opportunity to complete the process so that they can obtain their permanent voter cards, and exercise their right to vote.”

According to INEC, out of 10,487,972 Nigerians who carried out their pre-registration online, only 3,444,378 completed the process at a physical centre, representing only 32.8 percent of completed online registration, SERAP noted.

SERAP’s letter read in part, “The failure of the applicants to complete their registration may be due to factors entirely outside of their control, especially given the well-documented challenges faced by many Nigerians at registration centres across the country.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP and the affected Nigerians shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel INEC to comply with our request in the public interest.

“Unless they are given a reasonable time and opportunity to complete the registration process, and to obtain their voter cards, these eligible Nigerians will not be able to vote in the 2023 general elections.

“If citizens’ chance to vote is denied, that would amount to violation of their fundamental right to vote, just as it would be if they were prevented from casting any vote at all.”

Source: punchng.com

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