The independent National Electoral Commission INEC has debunked the media report that seven million Nigerians who applied for online pre-registration as voters during the last nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) were denied the opportunity to complete their registration
INEC in a statement signed byFestus Okoye Esq, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee described the report as misleading.
According to the statement, atotal 10,487,972 commenced the process but by the deadline of the exercise, 3,444,378 Nigerians completed their pre-registration physically at the designated centres in line with the Commission’s policy.
“Some 7,043,594 applicants did not complete the registration. Again, the Commission made the information public. This is what some people are now using to say that they were denied the opportunity when in reality they failed to either complete the online enrolment or appear physically at the designated centres to complete the process”
A breakdown of the 7,043,594 incomplete online pre-registrations is as follows:
1. 4,161,775 citizens attempted but either did not complete online pre-registration or abandoned it and went for the physical registration instead.
2. 2,881,819 registrants completed the online pre-registration but did not show up to complete the physical Biometric Capture at designated centres before the deadline.
“Therefore, it is clear that no Nigerians were deliberately denied the opportunity to complete their online pre-registration.
The comission however appeal citizens to always adhere to timelines as against the endless agitation for eleventh hour extension of set deadlines
