As INEC Begins Continuous Voter Registration

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will tomorrow begin a nationwide voter registration exercise.

This is coming almost two years before the next general election. According to INEC, the exercise is intended to enable citizens who have turned 18 years of age since the last registration, as well as those who did not register during the last exercise.

INEC also said those seeking transfer of their registration from one state to another or from one polling unit to another, within a state, would also be able to do so. In addition, the exercise would enable citizens who have the Temporary Voter Cards (TVCs), but whose names are on the register, to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, had earlier raised the alarm that almost 8 million voters had abandoned their cards with the commission. These cards were supposed to be used in the last general election. This is one of the few imperfections of the former INEC leadership.

The commission, however, cannot be wholly blamed for prospective voters’ inability and or refusal to pick up their voter cards. The continuous voter registration exercise which commences this week and is expected to run till 2019 is therefore an opportunity to put these 8 million cards in the hands of their owners.

INEC under its current leadership recognises the importance of early planning and this, in our view, is the reason for the steps it has taken so far, ahead of the 2019 general election. Recall that INEC had similarly announced a fixed general election timetable in March. With the timetable, you could tell the exact date of our elections 100 years from now.

The announcement indeed came as a pleasant surprise. It sure gives hope for our democracy which is taking root. This is the kind of advance planning that is lacking in the corridor of power since independence.

We have always held the opinion that the problem with Nigeria lies with the inability of her leaders to plan. They act first, then plan. It is seen in every fibre of the polity.

That is why, during the last administration, Nigeria made so much petrodollars yet couldn’t plan with them. The President Goodluck Jonathan administration, pressured by state governors, even depleted savings by the previous government. Since the present government did not come in with a clear economic plan, it couldn’t prevent, or rather prevent the fall of the economy.

Our ‘fire brigade’ approach stretches into everything beyond the economy–sports, defence, and even politics, as evident in our electoral system. It was not unusual, in the past, for the electoral body to make desperate moves to fix the election register on the eve of general election. Under the previous INEC leadership, the timeline for voter registration exercise had to be extended because of inadequate direct data capturing machines, poor power supply and faulty machines, among others.

Yet, many registered voters couldn’t get their cards and, thus, collection of the cards was still ongoing 24 hours to the poll. The then minority leader of the Senate, Senator Maina Lawan, had to say, “The exercise is a sham, I am sorry to say this as the Vice Chairman of the INEC.”

Although Prof Attahiru Jega did a fantastic job at INEC, generally speaking, this was one of the areas that needed urgent improvement. If this era was bad, those before it were worse. Too many election results were contested on account of questionable voter register. It was so laughable that names like Mike Tyson and Bill Clinton were reportedly found in the register.

We commend the present INEC leadership for the decision to commence the nationwide continuous voter registration this Thursday, almost two years ahead of the poll, giving adequate time to produce a credible voter register. There will be hitches at the beginning. But, thanks to INEC’s advance planning, there will be time to tidy things up.
While we commend INEC for this noble initiative, we urge all Nigerians to support the effort.

We would be eroding the benefits of the advance planning if eligible voters don’t go out to be registered but wait till the election is close.

Registered voters who are yet to collect their cards should promptly do so. In that way, they would not only be helping the country to reap the gains of early election planning, but also strengthening our democracy.