…… As prison officials make case for inmates
From: Linus Oota, Lafia
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nasarawa State, says it has completed arrangement to begin the continuous voter registration exercise on Thursday, April 27, to enable those without their voters cards to get theirs.
Administrative Secretary of the commission in the state, Engr. Emmanuel Akem, stated this, on Tuesday, in Lafia, during a stakeholders meeting organise by the commission to acquaint them with INEC preparation for the exercise.
He explained that the commission is committed to ensuring that every eligible voter is not denied their franchise right hence the period given for the exercise.
The INEC Secretary explained that the exercise will address a lot of problems the commission encountered during elections such as under aged, IDPs, double registration, lost of permanent voters card, transfer of registration, who and who is qualified to be registered among many other complaints.
Engr. Akem further explained that the main activities for the exercise include fresh registration, transfer of voters registration, distribution of permanent voters card, and those who have lost their voters card can also report to the registration centres.
He said that the exercise is designed to give opportunities to those who have turned 18 years after the last registration, those who could not register during the general registration, and those registered voters who have temporary voters card but whose names are not on register of voters.
He therefore solicited the support and cooperation of members of the public for the success of the exercise which will be of benefit to us and the country at large.
Speaking earlier, the representative of Nigerian Prisons in the state, Oche Odeh, call on INEC to make provision for the registration of inmates awaiting trial in other to also give them opportunity to vote for leaders of their choice since they are also Nigerians.
Others who attend the stakeholders meeting include representative of the Nigerian Army, Civil Defence, Immigration service, FRSC, NDLEA, the traditional rulers and various political parties, the civil societies as well as the media.