Nigerian courts blocks deadline for biometric voter registration

Voter registration will continue in Nigeria, after a Federal High Court blocked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from implementing its June 30 cut-off in the ongoing biometric registration drive, Premium Times reports.

A complaint, brought by a coalition of groups led by advocacy group the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), alleged widespread disenfranchisement if the enrollment period was closed. The groups also sought the extension of primaries by political parties.

Extending the voter registration deadline is consistent with Nigeria’s constitution and Electoral Act, they argue, and their mandate to ensure popular participation in elections.

The news comes shortly after a pair of Ekiti State Senators praised the establishment of the biometric Bimodal Voters Authentication System (BIVAS), and called on INEC to continue improving the system, Premium Times writes separately.

The British High Commissioner says Ekiti’s recent governorship election was a significant improvement over previous processes, commending the INEC, according to This Day Live. The comments specifically refer to the effectiveness of the biometric voter authentication system, but Daily Trust writes that the poll also included the electronic transmission of results.

More centers, less bribery

The agency has opened 25 additional voter registration centers in Anambra State to facilitate speedy biometrics enrollment, as well as other services like PVC replacements and voter transfers, according to the Daily Post.

The State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Also said that some staff were being investigated for bribery, and others have already been removed from their posts.

The REC of Oyo State, meanwhile, says more than 42 percent of registrations under the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) process in the state between June and December of last year are invalid, The Nation Online reports.

The official says many of the 32,813 attempts to register not resulting in new personal voter cards are due to duplicate registration attempts, many of them by people who thought there were expected to re-register.

Article Topics

biometric authentication  |  biometrics  |  elections  |  identity verification  |  Nigeria  |  voter registration