The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the commencement of the process of issuance of Permanent Voters Card in Lagos.
GOV FASHOLA
GOV FASHOLA



This is contained in the press release today from the office of the Governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Raji Fashola.

Governor Fashola stated that in order for our democracy to be truly representative, it must be participatory, which means that everybody who is 18 years old from today is eligible to vote in the next election.

‘’This obligation has become very important because of the reports emanating from INEC at a press briefing by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos that the number of voters in Lagos is now 4,800,000 (Four Million, Eight Hundred Thousand),’’ said Fashola.

Fashola added that the conclusion of voters registration exercise before the 2011 elections, the number of registered voters in Lagos as announced by INEC itself was 6,247,845 (Six Million, Two Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty Five).

This was an exercise conducted by INEC. This was an exercise where INEC boasted to Nigerian that it has secured an Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to ensure the credibility of the Voters Register.

‘’INEC must explain to us how…..voters disappeared from among 1,447,845 (One Million, Four Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty Five) to leave Lagos with only 4,800,000 (Four Million, Eight Hundred Thousand) registered voters,’’Fashola added

INEC has itself attempted to ascribe the disappearance of 1,447,845 (One Million, Four Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty Five) registered voters on its register in Lagos to what it calls “consolidation”; “Business Rule” and AFIS.

Lagosians demand to know what these terms mean, are they provided for in the Electoral Act?

Are they plans to disenfranchise Lagosians from exercising their rights to choose their own representatives?

Are they part of a plan to confer an undue-advantage in the next elections to any person or to frustrate the choice of Lagosians as we have seen in other states?

Fashola said that his Government will vigorously stand on the side of every eligible and previously registered voter to have their name back on the Voters Register compiled in 2011 unless INEC can show legitimate reasons why this should not be so.

For those residents who did not register at the last election, or who were not 18 years old at the time but who have now reached that age and who want to register, the first phase of this exercise which is to issue voters card from 7th-9th of November 2014 is not for you, because a Voter’s Card is only produced from a previously existing register.

For those who fall into the category of persons who have never registered or who were registered and cannot find their names, will have the opportunity to register for the first time, or to re-register in the second phase which is for continuous voters registration starting from 12th November to 17th November 2014.

After the issuance of Permanent Voters Card for those who registered at the last election or who voted, then INEC will start a process of continuous voters’ registration.

‘’So for now, for 3 days, from Friday the 7th day of November 2014 to Sunday the 9th day of 2014, I urge all residents, registered in Lagos to make time to go to their registration or voting centres to collect their Permanent Voters Card,’’ Fashola stated.

The governor urged employers of labour to be flexible and accommodating to allow workers to close early on Friday the 7th of November, 2014.

As for public servants, the governor declares Friday the 7th of November, 2014 shall be a work free day in order to enable workers carry out this civic duty and exercise their civic rights..com

BY: Ifedayo Akinwalere

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