Voter registration: INEC extends deadline, gives reasons
INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Publicity, Alhaji Muhammad Jumare, yesterday said that voter registration exercise was extended because of noticeable long queues at most centres.
In a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, Jumare said the commission as a responsible organisation had to intervene so as not to disenfranchise many Nigerians.
“We cannot punish them because of Nigerians mentality of waiting till last minute. We had to do something by extending the exercise till Friday in conjunction with other stakeholders”, he said.
The national commissioner disclosed that the commission had deployed more DDC machines to all the available registration centres to ease the long queues.
On constitutionality of the extension, Jumare explained that the commission consulted the leadership of National Assembly before taking the decision to extend the exercise.
He said the National Assembly would not object as they were in the process of amending the Electoral Act 2006 to accommodate registration till 60 days before election as against the initial 120 days.
“Tell Nigerians that Friday is going to be the definite day for the voters registration. There won’t be another extension. Let Nigerians avail themselves of this last opportunity’’ he said.
INEC national chairman, Maurice Iwu had last Thursday promised that Nigerians would no longer queue for voter registration as they would now update it from their local government area after the April election.