CVR: INEC Said ‘It Will Not Be Possible’ – Rep Reverses Self On Deadline Extension Claim

The House of Representatives committee chairman on electoral matters, Aisha Dukku, has withdrawn her earlier claim on the alleged extension of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

Dukku on Wednesday claimed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had agreed to extend the exercise for 60 days.

She told the house that the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, has “already agreed” to extend the CVR, adding that “he (Yakubu) said it has been guaranteed that it has to be extended, and not just extending, but also it would additionally be done during weekends.”

THE WHISTLER reported that the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had insisted on pursuing its suit against INEC because the supposed 60-day extension “falls short of statutory requirements and international standards.”

But reversing herself, Dukku said INEC promised to “look at our request” and noted that “they cannot be able to open the registration for the next 60 days because of the activities lined up before the general election.”

She said, “The registration of voters is one aspect. There are other schedules that have to be done which the chairman explained. Such include the printing of voter cards, distribution of the cards, and the pasting of list of all persons registered in all 774 local governments nationwide.

“And so, it will not be possible. This is the statement— for INEC to extend for the days we requested. However, they will go back and look at their timeline and look at how possible they will be able to increase the days for registration.

“Mind you, they are already in court. The court has stopped them from closing the date for registration. In essence, INEC will inform Nigerians as to how many days they will be able to extend the registration in view of other milestones that they have to achieve.”