• INEC puts total voters at 70,383,427, creates 30,000 new polling unitsChuks Okocha and Muhammad Bello 
As the country heads for the 2015 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has put the current total number of registered voters in Nigeria at 70,383,427, of which Lagos with 5,426,391 hasthe highest number of registered voters in the country.Nigeria’s commercial capital is followed by Kano with thesecond highest number of registered voters of 4,751,818.Releasing the list of registered voters yesterday in Abuja,INEC also created 30,027 new polling units in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as part of efforts to decongest polling units (PUs) across the country, bringing the total number of units nationwide to 150,000.According to an INEC bulletin circulated to the press and signed by the director in charge of the commission’s secretariat, Ishiaku A. Gali, the commission said the decision to create the additional polling units was taken at the INEC meeting on Tuesday, August 12, 2014.Before the decision to create more polling units, there were 119,973 of them across the 774 local governments.According to the 2010 Electoral Act, each PU is expected to have not more than 500 voters, but during elections there are PUs that have more than 500 voters.A glance at the approved re-allocation of 150,000 PUs nationwide showed that Lagos is leading in terms of proportional distribution.Lagos with 5,426,391 registered voters got an additional 2,870 PUs, bringing its total to 11,565 polling units.It is followed by Kano with a voting strength of 4,751,818,which was allocated 2,053 new PUs, bringing the total number to 9,809.INEC, in the statement, said Kano State, which has 10,127 PUs based on proportional distribution of 150,000 and 9,809 based on approved new PU allocation.Kaduna State has registered voters of 3,743,815 and got 2,878 new PUs, increasing its total number of units to 7,485.Katsina State with 2,928,046 voters got 1,339 PUs more to bring the total number of PUs in the state to 3,818.In the same vein, Jigawa State with a voting strength of 1,817,087 got an additional 346 PUs, making a total of 3,677 units in the state, Ogun State with 1,796,024 registered voters was allocated 569 new PUs, increasing its total to 3,818.Baylsa State, with the lowest number of registered votersof 590,679, got 121 new units, increasing its total to 1,925. (See detailed table on pages 1 and …).Also, the commission yesterday ruled out the possibility of Nigerians in the Diaspora voting during the 2015 elections, just as it indicated that it is making preparations to ensure that security officials on election duty are not disenfranchised during the exercise.Chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, admonished federal lawmakers at a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters to amend the Electoral Act.This is just as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, said nextyear's general election would be a historical landmark in Nigeria's history, thus urging politicians to be cautious.According to Jega, even if the Electoral Act is amended to allow Nigerians overseas, to vote the commission lacks the logistics to involve them in the exercise in 2015, but added that Nigerians who are abroad might be considered to participate in future elections.He added that electronic voting would also not be possible in 2015.He said: “I must be sincere with you. Even if the constitution is amended now, it will be practically impossible for Nigerians in the Diaspora to vote in 2015. It is practically impossible for us to commence that next year, but the amendment should be done before the 2015elections for future elections.“The issue of electronic voting should also be accommodated before the 2015 elections, but we cannotconduct elections electronically next year. It will be for future elections.”He however requested an extension of the seven days set aside for run-off elections for the offices of the president and governors as provided in the Electoral Act to at least 21 days, “because it is technically impossible to do a run-off in seven days”.He also asked for an extension of the days for the transfer of voters from the approved 45 days by the lawmakers to 60 days due to the technicalities involved, even though the Electoral Act provides for 35 days.To him, the amendment of Section 25, which provides fora by-election whenever there is vacancy in a position would be appropriate so that all by-elections would be conducted twice every year instead of once.He endorsed the amendment to Section 29 ( on the deployment of “the Nigerian Armed Forces only for the purpose of securing the distribution and delivery of election materials”.On his part, Tambuwal admonished all stakeholders, especially members of the National Assembly to tidy up every aspect of the regulations governing the conduct of elections, saying: “If our electoral law is technically and morally sound, it will go a long way in ensuring that we have free and fair elections in 2015 and beyond.”According to him, it is the desire of lawmakers “to ensurea level playing field for all participants in the electoral process and for a more transparent process of conducting elections in Nigeria”.“The 2015 elections will no doubt mark a watershed in our nation's history. As participants in this hearing, you have an opportunity and a duty to ensure that you contribute to making the elections the best that they can be,” he said.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/lagos-kano-lead-with-highest-number-of-registered-voters/186842/

Well done Jega, you are a man of honor and you have done well. The military and DSS av no business participating in election other than securing materials and gathering intelligence respectively. I believe we all as citizenz should put heads together to ensure a free,fair and credible 2015 poll. The Parliament should block every loophole in our electoral law that the executive may seek to exploit to their undue advantage.
May God guide us as we prepare 4 the poll..amen.

God bless the APC
God bless Nigerians
God bless Nigeria

Win d north and Victory is almost urs come 2015

ONLY A IDIIOT WILL BELIEVE THIS
LIST.HOW CAN KASTINA,JIGAGAWA
AND EVEN BORNO HAVE THAT MUCH
VOTERS

HOW CAN BORNO&KASTINA STATE
HAVE MORE VOTERS THAN OYO AND
RIVERS

dhammyg: HOW CAN BORNO&KASTINA STATE
HAVE MORE VOTERS THAN OYO AND
RIVERS

dhammyg you speak out of ignorance.

APC needs to start consolidating on states that matter!

barcanista: dhammyg you speak out of ignorance.

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IGNORANCE.UNLESS THEY COUNTED THEIR CATTLE AS PART OF THEIR VOTERS.THEIR IS NO WAY KASTINA&BORNI CAN HAVE MORE VOTERS THAN OYO&RIVERS
IS IT NOT EVEN BORNO THAT BOKO HARAM AS ALMOST FINISHED

dhammyg:

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IGNORANCE.UNLESS THEY COUNTED THEIR CATTLE AS PART OF THEIR VOTERS.THEIR IS NO WAY KASTINA&BORNI CAN HAVE MORE VOTERS THAN OYO&RIVERS
IS IT NOT EVEN BORNO THAT BOKO HARAM AS ALMOST FINISHED

again you speak ignorantly. Are yu ready to learn?

nothing strange since both States are the first and second most populated states in Nigeria.

dhammyg: ONLY A IDIIOT WILL BELIEVE THIS
LIST.HOW CAN KASTINA,JIGAGAWA
AND EVEN BORNO HAVE THAT MUCH
VOTERS

This isn't census, it's about registration of voters.

barcanista: again you speak ignorantly. Are yu ready to learn?

ITIS COMMON KMOWLEDGE IN NIGERIA THAT SIMCE THE 1950'S POPULATION FIGURES HAVE BEEN MANIPULATED TO SUIT THE NORTH.EVEN THE FORMER CENSUS BOSS FESTUS ODIMEGWU WAS FIRED BECUZ HE SAID THAT NO CENSUS HAS BEEN CREDIBLE IN NIGERIA SINCE 1816

ONLY GULLIBLE PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE THE LIE THAT THE NORTH HAS MORE POPULATION

dhammyg: ONLY A IDIIOT WILL BELIEVE THIS
LIST.HOW CAN KASTINA,JIGAGAWA
AND EVEN BORNO HAVE THAT MUCH
VOTERS

Are you disappointed that the PDP strategy to use violence in decimating their population didn't work? Barcanista has been trying to enlighten you if only you would choose to listen.

And please let's keep these figures in mind and make sure we compare it with the outcome of the 2015 polls.

even with the put up figures, it is obvious that the north has the strongest voting strength followed by the south west, south south and south east in that order. Southerners don't go out to vote because they have a bigger elite population who would prefer to stay indoor. Northerners on the other hand have always been aggressive voters.

This List is Called Nigeria-Wonder!. Can You imagine Kano that lost about 2 to 3 Million Population of their indigenes & non indigenes to the Southern part of Nigeria to States like Lagos, Ogun, Rivers,Anambra,Delta,Akwa-Ibom,Bayelsa,Enugu,Oyo etc due to Economic & Security problems is still commanding this huge NUMBERs!. What of Kaduna?..... And then still Borno of All Places!. These lies Must Stop if were to have a stable & Prosperous Nation!. A House build on Sand cannot Stand!.

Fraud - the Lagos information is completely false.
The last data gathering exercise by APC in Lagos had more than 12 million members in registration.
Cooked and crooked data from INEC and Jona....... APC should just go for the jugular now.
See Bayelsa

The more reason y we should enlighten our people, tell them to register, is not that their population is very high compare to that of south but voting in d north is like culture, I've lived in d north and I've seen them

yemaldo: The more reason y we should enlighten our people, tell them to register, is not that their population is very high compare to that of south but voting in d north is like culture, I've lived in during north and I've seen them

prophetone:


Are you disappointed that the PDP strategy to use violence in decimating their population didn't work? Barcanista has been trying to enlighten you if only you would choose to listen.

Don't mind her. She doesn't know the difference between Voters Population and States Population. Ignorance at its blitz

jega,no problem,i agree wit u. We know d many million easternes in the north. Patiently waitin 4 2015. Gej til 2045

There are now more People in the South of Nigeria than in the North!.It is natural the People or still even Animals migrate where they can find Pasture!.There is Economic Boom in The South!.There is masive demand for goods & services in the South of Nigeria due to Large population!

barcanista: dhammyg you speak out of ignorance.

^^^He's right! Unless of course they're registering all their cousins from Niger and Chad as well!

Boyedex: even with the put up figures, it is obvious that the north has the strongest voting strength followed by the south west, south south and south east in that order. Southerners don't go out to vote because they have a bigger elite population who would prefer to stay indoor. Northerners on the other hand have always been aggressive voters.

^^^Nice spin!

dhammyg: ONLY A IDIIOT WILL BELIEVE THIS
LIST.HOW CAN KASTINA,JIGAGAWA
AND EVEN BORNO HAVE THAT MUCH
VOTERS

Typical lousy Southerner. Sitting in the comfort of wherever you are and making uninformed, unintelligent assumptions. You need to get educated before calling people idiiot(s). This is a factual list, a total count of registered voters, no approximation.

barcanista: again you speak ignorantly. Are yu ready to learn?

^^^Learn what again?

olapluto:
Typical lousy Southerner. Sitting in the comfort of wherever you are and making uninformed, unintelligent assumptions. You need to get educated before calling people idiiot(s). This is a factual list, a total count of registered voters, no approximation.

bro you should rather say lousy poster. You know some people are just so dilussional and self-deceptive. Let them wallow in their deception

barcanista: bro you should rather say lousy poster. You know some people are just so dilussional and self-deceptive. Let them wallow in their deception

Correct term. They are flooding this forum by the day, making intelligent arguments difficult.
On a side note, I think PDP should be very afraid after seeing this list. I generously estimated GEJ votes based on his strongholds and sympathetic states, I struggled to get him 30% of the total votes cast. Offcourse this is provided there is an even turnout in all states.
However, as it was during the last election where we were having unbelievable turnout figures in the SE, I have given GEJ ALL votes in that region, still he didnt get 30% of votes cast.
I think GEJ's only way out (considering its too late to woo the Northern majority) is to prevent a high turnout of voters in the North. I doubt the army or DSS can achieve that as they did in Ekiti (turnout was less than 40% of registered voters!). Traditionally, turnout in the North is always high and the urge to boot out GEJ will even be a greater motivation this time.

olapluto:
Correct term. They are flooding this forum by the day, making intelligent arguments difficult.
On a side note, I think PDP should be very afraid after seeing this list. I generously estimated GEJ votes based on his strongholds and sympathetic states, I struggled to get him 30% of the total votes cast. Offcourse this is provided there is an even turnout in all states.
However, as it was during the last election where we were having unbelievable turnout figures in the SE, I have given GEJ ALL votes in that region, still he didnt get 30% of votes cast.
I think GEJ's only way out (considering its too late to woo the Northern majority) is to prevent a high turnout of voters in the North. I doubt the army or DSS can achieve that as they did in Ekiti (turnout was less than 40% of registered voters!). Traditionally, turnout in the North is always high and the urge to boot out GEJ will even be a greater motivation this time.

Jonathan will definitely be swept out of power next Year. His first challenge will be his Party's Primary election. Well, that is PDP affair. For the General election, Traditionally the North always Record High Voters Turnout, the South are usually less(except 2011 where the Voters turnout in SS and SE were amazingly high). Even at that, the voting strength of the SS and SE cannot be compared. Let me tell you why Jonathan is NOT SMART by playing the Ethnic Card. In 1999 Presidential Election, General Obasanjo won the SE and SS but lost the SW. It was the bulk Northern vote that propelled him to Power. In 2003 with the enterance of Maj Gen Buhari, he knew that If He should lose the SW again he will be swept out of Office. So he made a truce with Afenifere and SW AD Govs to Back him in the Presidential Poll. He won resoundly in the SW, SE and SS and lost woefully in the North to Buhari. The votes he got from the SW became the game changer. With the Opposition having the Upperhand in the North, the PDP should have penetrated into the SW and make sure they enjoy robust majority. As at now, I don't see that happening neither will it happen anytime soon. The PDP will be kicked out Next Year. Even the Military won't help them.