Enugu Monarchs Caution INEC On Disenfranchisement

Members of Enugu
State Traditional Rulers Council last Thursday appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that no eligible voter in the state was disenfranchised in future elections.
The monarchs made their feelings known to the electoral body during a stakeholder’s forum on the forth-coming distribution of permanent voters’ cards organised by INEC in Enugu.
The Patron of the council, Chief Abel Nwodo, said  indications were rife that some eligible voters would be disenfranchised following the time allotted for the exercise.
He said that the time frame for the distribution of the permanent voters’ cards as well as the fresh registration of eligible voters would not be enough.
“On the continuous registration which you said will last for five days, what it means is that, you will only be providing three days. “This is because from experience the first and last days are usually half days and this will not be enough for the exercise,” Nwodo said.
Another monarch, Dr Onyioha Nwanjoku, said that the one million permanent registration cards allotted for distribution in the state were not adequate.
He recalled that over 3.5 million eligible voters were registered in the state during the last registration prior to the 2011 general elections.
Nwanjoku said that it would amount to the disenfranchisement of prospective voters if the situation was not remedied.
Reacting, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Lawrence Azubuike, said that the exercise was a national programme that had a timeline.
“The period is a policy decision by INEC in Abuja. Even if six months were given for the exercise, an apathetic populace will still not participate. “That is why we are intensifying our sensitisation programme for the people to be properly informed. “If the people are properly sensitised, the time frame will be enough and the exercise will be a success,” he said.
Azubuike said that the commission had received a little above one million permanent voters’ cards that would be distributed in the state between May 23 and May 25.
“This exercise will take place in all the polling units in the state and will start between 8am and 4pm each day,” he said.
He said that the continuous voters’ registration would take place between May 28 and June 1 at the ward/registration area and collation centres in the state.
Azubuike said that the two exercises would be conducted with efficiency and professionalism, adding that INEC has commenced the recruitment of corps members for the exercise.

Abia State Governor Theodore Orji (middle), Chairman, Igbo Leaders of Thought, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (4th-right) and others, during a courtesy visit by Igbo Leaders of Thought to Abia State Government House in Umahia, last Sunday.