Continuous Voter registration: Reps urge INEC to decentralise process for wider coverage

The House of Representatives has urged the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC)  to decentralise the Continuous Voters Registration process so as to accommodate more Nigerians.

The call was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Odebunmi Olusegun (APC-Oyo) at plenary on Tuesday.

Moving the motion earlier, Olusegun noted that it was the primary responsibility of INEC to register every citizen of Nigeria that is 18years and above, whenever the need arose.

He further noted that in recent times INEC had been technically mandating Nigerians to appear in their offices for registration..

“Disturbed that in the wake of various social economic challenges and the obvious increase in the rate of COVID-19 spread in the country, encouraging citizens to be gathering in only one centre put Nigerians in serious risk of contracting the virus.

“Further disturbed that the action has resulted in discouraging prospective voters, whose wherewithal to access their office is of limited size,” he said.

The house resolved that in the spirit of ensuring that Nigerians exercised their voting rights, it was important for INEC to take the registration closer to the people.

In his ruling, the Speaker of the house, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila mandated the House Committee on Electoral Matters to ensure compliance.