The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has ordered the removal of the names of 190 non-Nigerians from the country’s Voter’s Register as part of measures to clean up the register.
The commission disclosed this in a statement by its Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, in Abuja, yesterday.
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), recently retrieved several Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and National Identity cards from foreigners who were alleged to have registered as voters.
Osaze-Uzzi reiterated INEC commitment in ensuring that the Voter’s Register was free from unqualified registrations.
This according to the commission was also to ensure that the register of voters met internationally accepted standards.
“INEC will continue to strengthen its relationship with security agencies and other organisations in ensuring that the electoral process is improved,” he said.
Meanwhile, the commission decentralised the on-going nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Anambra State to the registration areas, ahead of the November 18 governorship election in the state:
“The move by the commission to decentralise the registration from the 21 local government offices to the 326 registration areas in the state, is aimed at bringing the exercise closer to the people.
“It is also to ensure that every eligible Nigerian in the state was captured in the exercise.”
INEC said the decentralisation would be between August 10 and 15, adding that thereafter, the exercise would be officially suspended until after the election.