Festus Okoye the national commissioner on voter education of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that the commission will extend the deadline for its Continuous Voter Registration exercise in the coming days.
Africa Daily News, New York reports that Civil society organisations have continued to call for the deadline of June 30 to be extended to enable more Nigerians to register to vote in the 2023 general elections.
INEC ‘is disposed towards extending the date for the CVR,’ Mr Okoye said.
However, while civil societies such as Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have argued that INEC should stop voter registration 90 days before the general elections, the commission says it is constrained by financial and logistic factors.
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A Federal High Court is set to rule on a suit brought by SERAP against INEC on June 29.
‘We are convinced that after we make our arguments, the court will be convinced on why we cannot extend the CVR beyond a certain period,’ Mr Okoye said.
‘But we are convinced, given the enthusiasm of Nigerians, given the new resolve of Nigerians to register, that an extension is inevitable.
‘The Commission is disposed towards extending the period for the CVR but not up to the period that some people are canvassing.’
The had earlier dismissed viral claims that it extended voters’ registration deadline by 60 days, insisting that it never did so.
The deadline of June 30 was insisted upon by the commission.
Africa Today News, New York reports that there have been rumours that the commission extended the deadline for voter registration by 60 days as a result of pressure.
Nevertheless, the commission declared that registration would shortly continue notwithstanding the deadline in accordance with the court’s ruling, which commanded it not to terminate registration.