By TINA TIMOTHY

Nzuko Umunna, an Igbo socio-cultural think tank with members both in Nigeria and the diaspora, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ‘to extend the deadline for continuous voter registration.

This, according to the group, was to enable more citizens partake in the forthcoming 2023 elections.

Nzuko Umunna, in a statement on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, signed by its Executive Secretary, Ngozi Odumuko, made the call against the backdrop of impressive turnout of Nigerians, especially the youths who have shown willingness to participate in the forthcoming elections by taking part in the voter registration exercise nationwide.

The statement reads: “Nzuko Umunna has keenly observed in the past one week, the unprecedented turn out of Nigerians, especially the youths, in various states across the federation for voter registration. This development is coming after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had suspended its online preregistration on 30th May, 2022, but later hearkened to the calls for an extension.

“We note that this development is a positive one for our democracy as it signifies increasing interest of the citizens to participate in the electoral process and therefore should be encouraged by the electoral management body and all political stakeholders in the country. It also shows growing confidence in the electoral system. We commend INEC for this.”

The group, while commending INEC and other stakeholders for the various roles they played in encouraging more voter registrations, urged the commission not to suspend the exercise on June 30 as planned; as doing so will leave "a lot of the citizens unregistered" and disenfranchised during the 2023 elections."

The statement further reads: “Nzuko Umunna equally commend various religious bodies, civil society groups and individuals of all works of life who, since the voter registration exercise began, have been encouraging the citizens to register and be able to vote during elections. Some churches and other groups have gone further to offer their buildings to INEC to serve as temporal registration centers, while a good number of people in different states have also assisted with logistics to help fasten the registration process for the citizens.

“Sequel to the call by some notable political figures for INEC to make provisions for eligible Nigerians to register, the electoral umpire on Friday 10 June, 2022, announced the deployment of additional 209 registration machines to Lagos, Kano and states in the South-East where the Commission has noticed large turnout of unregistered voters for the exercise in recent times. This is also commendable.

“Nzuko Umunna, however, notes with concern that with the current turnout of people who want to register in different states, if INEC goes ahead with its plan to suspend voter registration on 30 June, 2022, a lot of the citizens will be left unregistered and therefore, disenfranchised during the 2023 elections.

“We therefore, call on INEC to, as a matter of concern, extend the deadline for continuous voter registration to enable all eligible Nigerians register and be able to vote during elections.

“Nzuko Umunna urge the Commission to ensure that all Nigerians who visit registration centres are given opportunity to register in all parts of the country where they reside no matter their tribe or religious affiliation as voting during elections is one of the civic obligations of every eligible citizen.”

The group concluded by urging INEC to ensure security as well as make provisions for increased personnel and equipment at registration centres so as to fasten the process.’

“We also request that INEC should make provisions for security in places where hoodlums invade to disrupt the exercise. The Commission should also deploy more personnel and registration machines to registration centres where there is large turnout of unregistered voters, to fasten the process and avoid keeping people stranded and discouraged to continue with the exercise.”