By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has solicited for the collaboration of the Nigerian media just as he asked for massive publicity for the Continous Voters Registration (CVR) which will start on Monday, June 28, 2021.
Also, INEC on Monday in Abuja demonstrated to the media the procedure for the proposed Online Voters Registration (OVR) which will be used in the forthcoming CVR.
Speaking at the Second Quarterly Consultative Meeting with the Media Executives which took place at INEC Headquarters in Abuja, Prof. Yakubu argued that with the relocation of Voting Points to underserved areas as autonomous Polling Units, there is need for massive publicity so that citizens are familiar with their voting locations well ahead of all forthcoming elections.
He therefore appealed for media partnership to achieve the set goal, adding that: “I recall that at the end of the of our 1st quarterly meeting last February, the media resolved to support the Commission and has kept to the promise”.
According to him: “Working in consultation with you (Media), we (INEC) expanded the number of Polling Units in Nigeria to 176,846 for the first time in 25 years. Let me therefore extend the Commission’s appreciation to you for the support”.
On the new online registration, the INEC boss said: “in the next one week i.e. Monday 28th June 2021, the Commission will resume the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) nationwide. In doing so, the Commission is introducing a portal to enable eligible Nigerians to commence registration as voters online before completing the exercise physically at designated centres nationwide.
“This is first time a major exercise of this nature is handled partially online consistent with the Commission’s commitment to continue to deepen the use of technology in the electoral process in Nigeria.
“Just like the expansion of voter access to Polling Units, the Commission appeals to the media for support so that this novel idea will also be successful. The CVR will be a major issue for discussion at this meeting. The Commission will demonstrate the procedure for the proposed online registration and also present the new INEC Voter Enrollment Device (IVED) to you shortly”, Prof. Yabuku stated at the occasion.
However, the Commission’s Director in charge of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Chidi Nwafor, later demonstrated how the online registration procedures will look like even as he subsequently answered some of the salient questions such as how rural dwellers will be captured in the exercise.
Nwafor explained that the device to be used for the online registration works perfectly like those used at the foreign embassies as registrants can among other things schedule their data capturing session at any INEC office close to them at their own convenience.
Meanwhile, INEC Chairman has disclosed that the CVR is targeting no fewer than 20 million voters.
