The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared that any voter whose name appears twice in the commission’s register would be charged and disenfranchised. The commission had disclosed that, immediately after the completion of the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration on June 30, a nationwide Automatic Biometric Identification System (ABIS) would be run to detect those who registered more than once.
The Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ambassador Rufus Akeju, made this known to newsmen in Akure, the State Capital.
“We want to sound a note of warning that registering more than once is a criminal offence under the law punishable by a prison term of not more than 12 months or a fine of ₦500,000 or both. Section 12 subsections 2 and 3 of the Electoral act.
“At the end of the CVR exercise a nationwide Automatic Biometric Identification System (ABIS) will be carried out on all registrations and those who register more than once would be fished out, their names expunged from the voter’s register and be prosecuted.”
Ambassador Rufus revealed that a total of 21,749 Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) were received by the State for the 1st and 2nd phases of the CVR Exercise and are currently being distributed at various Local Government Area Offices. He said those who registered during the phases were to avail themselves of the opportunity to collect their PVC, adding that the 296,965 previously printed PVCs uncollected were still available for collection by the rightful owners at the various Local Government INEC Offices.
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However, Ambassador Rufus, disclosed that the commission has embarked on a series of steps to include more people with disabilities (PWD) in the electoral process. He said the process was to build skills on issues around people with disabilities (PWDs) inclusion in the electoral process and strengthen their capacity on the effective mainstream of PWDs and other disadvantaged groups in the electioneering process.
He further stated that the process would help them have quality deliberation on recent innovations introduced by the commission for PWDs inclusion, and be more knowledgeable about sensitive tools that can be used by PWDs in exercising their civic responsibilities.
“Interrogate issues on why efforts by the Commission on the disability inclusion in the electoral process have yet to yield expected results.
“We want to appreciate all the citizens of Ondo State for their cooperation which the Commission has been enjoying for many years. And as we prepare for the 2023 general election and other subsequent electoral activities we hope that we will continue to enjoy the cooperation of the great people of Ondo State.”
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