The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that it has delisted 1,126,359 newly registered voters over multiple and ineligible registrations during the just concluded Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise.
Mr Festus Okoye, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, made the statement in Abuja on Monday, September 12, 2022.
He stated that the irregularities were discovered during the cleaning up of the voters register using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).
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“As Nigerians are aware, the cleaning up of the register of voters using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) is ongoing since the suspension of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) on 31st July 2022,” Okoye added.
“Earlier, the Commission informed Nigerians that out of the 2, 523,458 (Two million, five hundred and twenty-three thousand, four hundred and fifty-eight) fresh registrants that registered between 28th June 2021 and 14th January 2022, 1,126,359 (One million, one hundred and twenty-six thousand, three hundred and fifty-nine) records were found to be invalid and consequently delisted.
“The ABIS for the period Jan. 15 to July 31, 2022, is almost completed. Several double, multiple and ineligible registrants have also been detected and invalidated.
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“These include entries that failed to meet the Commission’s business rules. The Commission takes this responsibility seriously because a credible register is at the heart of electoral integrity.
“As soon as the process is concluded, the Commission will provide the public with full information as usual.
“Thereafter, valid registrants will be added to the existing national register of voters before publishing same nationwide for scrutiny, claims and objections as required by the Electoral Act 2022.
“Similarly, Permanent Voters’ Cards for all valid registrants will be available for collection by the end of October and early November as promised,’’ he stated.