Date: 2017-04-28

The Kwara State chapter of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will commence the Continuous Voters' Registration exercise (CVR) in the state, today.

INEC Publicity Secretary, Barr Jacob Ayanda, disclosed this to Pilot Politics during a telephone chat.

Ayanda said the exercise will take place in all the 16 Local Government headquarters in the state within the hours of 9am-3pm daily. He noted that the CVR will cater for three main categories of people which include those that want to transfer from one registration area to the other, those that were yet to attain the age of franchise then but are now of voting age among others.

That of Ilorin West, he said will take place at INEC office in Ipata Oloje, adding that the exercise will be a continuous one.

INEC Director of Voters Education and Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi announced the commencement of the nationwide exercise in Abuja yesterday. Kwara State INEC had said there were 240,000 unclaimed Permanent Voters' Cards (PVC) by their respective owners in the state.

Ayanda stressed that the commission has started in-house preparation towards the commencement of the distribution adding that Nigerians should commend the idea of giving out unclaimed cards to their owners.

He noted that undergoing the exercise now will only reduce the rush and the work load during election time. "We have 240.000 unclaimed PVCs in Kwara State and we've started preparation towards distributing it, this is in line with directives from the headquarters," he added.

...says sellers, buyers of PVCs risk 2-years jail term, N.5m fine Sellers and buyers of permanent voter's cards risk two years jail term and a N500,000 fine, according to Abubakar Sadiq, INEC Administrative Secretary in Sokoto State.

Mr. Sadiq disclosed this on Wednesday in Sokoto, at a one-day Stakeholders' Forum on the Continuous Voter Registration Exercise, scheduled to begin on Thursday. The exercise is expected to be flagged off by Mrs. Amina Zakari, INEC National Commissioner in charge of the North West.

He said that a similar punishment would be meted to any person found to be in possession of a voter's card unlawfully. "There is also a one-year jail term, N100,000 fine, or both, for any person who makes a false statement, fails to give information or facilitate the registration of a fictitious person," he said.

He said that a five-year jail term, N500,000 fine, or both, awaited anyone who induced any person to refrain from registering a voter. According to Mr. Sadiq, same punishment will be meted out to any person who hinders another from registering as a voter.

The official said that the offences contravened the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended, and warned members of the public to steer clear of them. He said that INEC was working with security agencies to prevent political parties from hijacking the exercise.

Sadiq warned INEC staff to avoid any action that could compromise the integrity of the exercise, saying that anyone caught would be sanctioned.

A cross section of the stakeholders, who spoke with NAN, commended the commission for being proactive, and promised their support toward the success of the exercise.