In a bid to ensure that eligible Nigerians are not disenfranchised as the country gears towards another election season – the 2023 general elections – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has introduced an online portal for registration.
The introduction of an online voter’s registration portal was announced by the Chairman of the national electoral body, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday, June 20, 2021, during a press briefing on the Commission’s preparedness for the next elections.
In the statement released by the INEC Chairman, he said the INEC voters registration online portal was launched in a bid to resume the Continuous Voter Education exercise. He said it will ensure a quicker process in terms of voters registration and also ensure that there are no crowds at the registration centres nationwide.
He also said the portal was designed by in-house engineers and would assist visitors to begin their registration exercise to a certain extent before finishing up the process at a registration centre.
Speaking on how the vadalizaition of INEC properties nationwide would affect the Commission capacity to carry out the exercise, Professor Yakubu insisted that despite the attacks on certain properties belonging to the Commission, it was ready and able to go ahead with the voter registration exercise.
The statement released on Tuesday, June 21, 2021, was titled “Continuous Voter Registration: Media Professionals, INEC Agree to Sensitise Citizens” read in parts:
“In the next one week, Monday 28th June 2021, the Commission will resume the Continuous Voter Registration 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 centers nationwide.
“This is the 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 success of the exercise depends, to a considerable extent, on citizens’ awareness through voter education. There will be new registrants, requests for intra-state and inter-state transfers as well as the replacement of voters’ cards as provided by law.”
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