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Groups Accuse INEC Of Destroying 15.4m New Voters’ Registrations
A coalition of democracy and social justice, the International College of Democracy and Human Rights Scholars, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the destruction of 15.4million out of 27.6million new voters’ registrations between July 2021 and July 2022.
The group was recently formed by experts operating in Nigeria and beyond its shores involving 41 Professors, 20 Doctorate Degree Holders, 30 Lawyers, 19 Indigenous Northern Religious Leaders, 14 Eastern Nigerian Democracy and Human Rights CSO Leaders, Swiss and American Rights Campaigners and other respected democracy and social justice advocates or campaigners.
In a statement by the board Chairman of Intersociety, Emeka Umeagbalasi, on behalf of other rights groups, said it was the fallout of critical examination by the college of the INEC’s released official statistics relating to the 31st July, 2022 abrupt termination of the CVR ahead of the country’s 2023 General Election especial the presidential segment.
According to him, “the 15.4million new voters’ registrations destroyed by INEC is more than the total winning votes (15,191,847 votes) of the country’s Presidential Election of February 2019 declared by the commission and credited to the Presidency of Buhari/Osibanjo.
“The alarming discovery by the college was contained in a fresh letter sent to Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu through National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye.
“The letter was duly communicated yesterday, 10th August, 2022 through their official emails and WhatsApp. A physical copy has also been delivered to the Office of the INEC chairman in Abuja. The letter was a follow-up to the first letter by the college written to the commission on 14th June 2022, a period of 27 days today.
“It must be recalled that the college had in its letter of 14th July, 2022 investigated and identified 30 disenfranchisement and election rigging plots ahead of the 2023 General Election, particularly the President segment and called on the Independent National Electoral commission to publicly speak in admission to or against the 30 rigging plots with outlined plan of action to tackle them headlong.
“Regrettably, the commission neither reached out nor publicly spoke or responded to date. The commission also chose not to respond to any of the issues raised including our 16-point demands; thereby taking responsibility for hatching the 30 poll rigging plots. By the above, therefore, no explanations by the commission concerning the letter will be entertained or accepted by the college.
“The college carefully studied INEC’s officially released statistics including its updates on CVR, starting from 28th June or end of June 2021 when the CRV commenced and 31st July 2022 when it was abruptly terminated and found that INEC deliberately, mindlessly, hatefully and discriminatorily engaged in massive disenfranchisement of tens of millions of enthusiastic Nigerians that trouped to INEC registration centres so as to be registered ahead of the 2023 Presidential Election.
“The destruction was also found to have been perpetrated on the grounds of ethnicity and religion. It was further discovered that the destroyed figure (15.4million new voters’ registrations) did not include those that logged into INEC’s online voters’ registration portal but could not continue or conclude their registrations.
“To buttress the above, it was observed, for instance, that between January 2022 and 2nd June 2022, a total of 19.1million applicants were received by the commission, out of which only 6.8million were validated as ‘successfully registered voters. INEC had, for no just reason, shut down its online voters’ registration portal on 31st May 2022 and never opened it till 31st July 2022 when it abruptly terminated the CVR exercise.
“Apart from several INEC top-shots descending so low to hatefully and discriminatorily mock the affected citizens, saying they: “suddenly wake up at their beck and call to be registered”, the commission was maliciously found to have hidden under the cloak of ‘incomplete registration’, ‘multiple registrations’ and ‘timed-out biometric capturing’ as reasons for the massive disenfranchisement.
“Consequently, INEC’s hurried termination of the CVR on 31st July 2022 which is seven months before the February and March 2023 General Election, contrary to the statutorily provided 90 days or November 25, 2022, is utterly suspicious and strongly condemned. It is also a confirmation that the commission is partisan and holding brief for a particular political party and its candidate and bent on massively disenfranchising tens of millions of citizens of voting age including 7million-11million that successfully did their online pre-registration and voters’ registration by 90percent completion, remaining only physical biometric capturing.
“Therefore, what the sum total of the above means is that while tens of millions of Nigerian citizens of voting age worked hard under the rain and the sun and got registered by INEC, the commission unscrupulously engaged in the destruction of their registrations, to the tune of 15.4million and as if that was not enough, the commission has further threatened to disenfranchise millions more between August and November 2022 repetitively using ‘elimination of multiple registrants’ as a deceitful cover”, Umeagbalasi alleged.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
