{"id":7861,"date":"2013-08-06T20:39:48","date_gmt":"2013-08-06T20:39:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigerian-newspapers\/inec-uncovers-93000-ghost-voters-in-anambra\/"},"modified":"2013-08-06T20:39:48","modified_gmt":"2013-08-06T20:39:48","slug":"inec-uncovers-93000-ghost-voters-in-anambra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/inec-uncovers-93000-ghost-voters-in-anambra\/","title":{"rendered":"INEC uncovers 93,000 ghost voters in Anambra"},"content":{"rendered":"
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…To challenge court judgment on de-registration of political parties<\/p>\n

From FRED ITUA, Abuja<\/p>\n

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, yesterday revealed that more than 93,000 ghost voters have been uncovered in Anambra State, ahead of the gubernatorial election in the state later in the year.<\/p>\n

Professor Jega made the revelation in Abuja during a stakeholders conference with media professionals and civil society organisations on voter register optimisation. He told the gathering that the figure represented 5.6 percent of the total voting population in the state. He said the commission would soon commence prosecution of those involved in the act.<\/p>\n

\u201cINEC has identified 93, 000 cases of ghost voters in Anambra State, which represents 5.6 percent of the voting population in the state.<\/p>\n

We are commencing prosecution of those involved,\u201d Jega revealed. He stated that there was no confusion in the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as being rumoured by some political players in the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs far as INEC is concerned, there is no confusion as to who is the chairman. \u201cThere is no court order that has been issued, stopping us from recognising the current leadership of the state chapter of the PDP.<\/p>\n

Any other person that parades himself as chairman will be prosecuted.\u201d He said as part of the of the commission\u2019s efforts, INEC was working assiduously to close the loopholes and checkmate multiple registrations as witnessed during the 2011 general elections.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve started working. \u201cI can tell you before 2011 elections, we weren\u2019t able to cross check to know if there were cases of multiple registration. We\u2019ve identified more than eight hundred thousand multiple registers. \u201cWe have prosecuted over 200 people involved in electoral malpractices. It\u2019s an enormous work.<\/p>\n

We have a small legal unit. We are getting to a point where we will partner with NBA so that more people will be prosecuted,\u201d Jega stated. He also spoke on INEC\u2019s plan to appeal the recent court judgment that nullified the de-registration of some political parties.<\/p>\n

He revealed that INEC\u2019s legal unit was studying the judgment and would soon appeal the judgment. \u201cThe laws are very clear under what conditions to register and de-register political parties. People are forgetting that we have three other court judgements thrown away by the courts.<\/p>\n

This is a case we will appeal and our lawyers are working on it. It\u2019s unfair to say that the court upturned our decision. We did the right thing and we are appealing that judgment,\u201d Jega stated. He debunked claims that INEC might adopt electronic voting during the 2015 general elections.<\/p>\n

Rather, he said if the necessary things were put in place, INEC might adopt electronic voting system in 2019, pointing out that \u201cmany countries are moving towards electronic voting.\u201d \u201cWe can\u2019t afford to be left behind. However, the constitution presently makes that impossible.<\/p>\n

The constitution prohibits it and until that is lifted, we can\u2019t have electronic voting. Maybe by 2019, we maybe able to have some form of electronic voting in Nigeria. INEC is not allowed by law to register political parties six months before elections,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Speaking on the recurrent issue of underage voting, Jega said polling units where such heinous activities thrive have the connivance of the communities. \u201cCommunities connive to ensure underaged voters cast their ballots.<\/p>\n

The security needs to do more. In many communities where we had this case of multiple registration, our staffers were threatened,\u201d Jega said. On the recent registration of All Progressive Congress (APC), Jega said the party was registered against an ongoing court case because the necessary requirements have been meant by the various merging parties.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs clear to us that all the parties that intend to merge have meant all the demands. They meant all requirements under the law.<\/p>\n

In the sight of the law, they\u2019re right and that was why we took our decision,\u201d Jega told the gathering. While narrating the achievements INEC recorded during the 2011 general elections, Jega however acknowledged that the commission still has a lot to learn as it prepares for the 2015 elections.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve leant a lot of lessons from that election and we\u2019ve been making additional efforts as we prepare for the 2015 elections. \u201cSpecifically, we\u2019ve undertaken some programmes to reposition INEC for greater efficiency in conducting free, fair and credible elections,\u201d Jega stated.<\/p>\n

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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: The Sun Newspaper<\/p>\n

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