Voters Registration: Jega Pleads For Understanding

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega says the challenges faced by the commission on the first day of the voters registration exercise will be surmounted within the next few days.

He thus called for understanding by Nigerians. Speaking to journalists at Otuoke, in Bayelsa State soon after the registration of President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife, Dame Patience and family, during his monitoring of the exercise in some parts of the state, Jega said he has identified some of the problems. According to him, such problems include late arrival of materials and ineffective capturing of fingerprints, saying that these are not unusual, being the first day of the exercise.

He said technical partners had been advised to rectify the problems, recalling that out of the 120,000 machines to be used 98,000 have already been deployed to various registration centres across the country, while the remaining ones would be deployed as soon as they are received.

He pleaded with Nigerians to exercise patience, assuring that “every eligible and willing voters will be registered before the end of the exercise.”

While admitting that it may be difficult to record hundred per cent hitch-free exercise, the INEC boss said the commission would try its best not to disappoint the country.

He, however, expressed satisfaction on the peaceful take off of the exercise and reponse of the people to get registered.

The Tide correspondent in Bayelsa State reports that most registration centres in and around Yenagoa recorded scanty turn-out with most people complaining that the exercise was too slow.