Aisha Dukku, a Nigerian lawmaker has clarified reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission has extended voter registration.
Dukku is the lawmaker representing the Dukku/Nafada constituency in the House of Representatives.
Clarifying on the report, the Chairperson of the house committee on electoral matters on Wednesday noted that the electoral umpire did not promise to extend voters’ registration by 60 days.
Dukku noted that INEC has several lineups ahead of the 2023 general elections, which may hinder it from extending the registration for 60 days.
Recall that Dukku while speaking during the plenary on Wednesday said the electoral body agreed to extend the deadline.
However, the lawmaker while addressing newsmen after plenary, clarified that INEC didn’t state a definite position on the request of the House of Representatives members.
According to Dukku, the Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, only promised to look into their request.
She said, “Part of what INEC told the house through the committee on electoral matters is that they are going to look at our request. However, whatever happens, they cannot be able to open the registration for the next 60 days because of the activities lined up before the general election.
“The registration of voters is one aspect. Other schedules have to be done which the chairman explained. Such include the printing of voter cards, distribution of the cards and the pasting of the list of all persons registered in all 774 local governments nationwide.
“And so, it will not be possible. This is the statement— for INEC to extend for the days we requested. However, they will go back and look at their timeline and look at how possible they will be able to increase the days for registration.
“Mind you, they are already in court. The court has stopped them from closing the date for registration. In essence, INEC will inform Nigerians as to how many days they will be able to extend the registration given other milestones that they have to achieve.”
