In a statement released in Benin City on Friday, the National Coordinator of EDYAI, Jerome Omonogbe Tadefua, expressed the coalition’s dismay at INEC’s failure to initiate the CVR process. He stated that despite INEC’s statutory obligation to conclude voter registration 90 days before the election, the commission has remained silent, leaving the residents of Edo with only a limited time to register before the June 21 deadline.
“We are worried and alarmed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not said anything about the statutory Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in the state ahead of the September governorship election,” said Tadefua. “If INEC does not start the CVR soon, thousands of potential voters will be disenfranchised. The delay is unacceptable.”
The coalition pointed out that INEC’s website only mentions Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi as states where potential voters can transfer to, with no mention of Edo or Ondo, despite the upcoming governorship election. The youth group accused INEC of plotting to undermine the electoral process and called for immediate action to start the registration process.
The concerns raised by EDYAI echo similar warnings from other civil society groups. Just a week ago, the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CONGOS) in Edo State raised the alarm over alleged plans to deny voting rights to Edolites by INEC’s inaction. At an emergency press conference, the president of CONGOS, Comrade Abiola Daisy Igaga, accused INEC of violating the provisions of the Electoral Act by failing to commence CVR.
According to Comrade Igaga, the press conference was held to draw attention to INEC’s failure to comply with the Electoral Act 2022, particularly Section 10.1, which mandates continuous voter registration. Igaga highlighted that this is crucial to ensure inclusivity and credibility in the upcoming election.
Both EDYAI and CONGOS have called on the INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, to take immediate steps to commence the CVR in Edo State and ensure that no eligible voter is disenfranchised. The groups have also pledged to work with INEC to deepen voter education and combat voter apathy but insist that the commission must uphold its legal obligations to restore confidence in the electoral process.
