INEC partners population commission on dead persons in voter register

The Independent Electoral Commission ( INEC ) on Tuesday urged
the National Population Commission (NPoPC) to furnish it with
record of dead citizens since 2015 to enable it to “sanitise’’ the
voter register.

Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the
requested when he visited the Chairman of NPC, Mr Eze Duruijeoma,
in Abuja.

He said that the records were necessary to enable the electoral
umpire to expunge names of dead persons from the national voter
register.

“We will like to partner NPC and ask that the population
commission make available records of dead citizens since 2015 to
enable us take necessary steps to remove them from the voter
register.

“We are confident that you will oblige us so that we can further
clean up our voter register ahead of the 2019 general elections,”
Yakubu said.

According to him, the commission is determined to do whatever it
takes to sanitise the voter register as a free, fair and credible
election is dependent on a sanitised voter register.

The chairman said that as provided by the Constitution, both
commissions were saddled with similar responsibilities.

“While INEC is saddled with the responsibility of registering
eligible voters, the population commission registers births and
deaths of citizens across the country,” he said.

He disclosed that a draft copy of a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) between both agencies had been submitted to the population
commission for its consideration.

“When the MoU is signed, it will formalise and enhance
collaboration between the sister agencies for the general
development of the country,” Yakubu said.

Responding, Duruijeoma commended INEC for the initiative to
sanitise the voter register using records of NPC.

He said that the collaboration between the sister agencies in
the performance of statutory duties was very pivotal to national
development.
According to Duruijeoma, if we get our elections and censuses
right, our nation will be on the way to greatness.

He said that the commission would commence the process of making
the records of deaths across the country available to INEC.

He, however, said that the commission could not pretend to have
the records of every birth or death that had occurred since
2015.

“We look forward to the day when every single birth or death
case will be efficiently documented by the commission,” Duruijeoma
said.

He said that copies of the MoU had been circulated among
relevant officers within the commission and that necessary inputs
were already being made.

He assured the INEC chairman of his readiness to sign the MoU
once it was finalised.

NAN

The Independent Electoral Commission ( INEC ) on Tuesday urged
the National Population Commission (NPoPC) to furnish it with
record of dead citizens since 2015 to enable it to “sanitise’’ the
voter register.

Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the
requested when he visited the Chairman of NPC, Mr Eze Duruijeoma,
in Abuja.

He said that the records were necessary to enable the electoral
umpire to expunge names of dead persons from the national voter
register.

“We will like to partner NPC and ask that the population
commission make available records of dead citizens since 2015 to
enable us take necessary steps to remove them from the voter
register.

“We are confident that you will oblige us so that we can further
clean up our voter register ahead of the 2019 general elections,”
Yakubu said.

According to him, the commission is determined to do whatever it
takes to sanitise the voter register as a free, fair and credible
election is dependent on a sanitised voter register.

The chairman said that as provided by the Constitution, both
commissions were saddled with similar responsibilities.

“While INEC is saddled with the responsibility of registering
eligible voters, the population commission registers births and
deaths of citizens across the country,” he said.

He disclosed that a draft copy of a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) between both agencies had been submitted to the population
commission for its consideration.

“When the MoU is signed, it will formalise and enhance
collaboration between the sister agencies for the general
development of the country,” Yakubu said.

Responding, Duruijeoma commended INEC for the initiative to
sanitise the voter register using records of NPC.

He said that the collaboration between the sister agencies in
the performance of statutory duties was very pivotal to national
development.
According to Duruijeoma, if we get our elections and censuses
right, our nation will be on the way to greatness.

He said that the commission would commence the process of making
the records of deaths across the country available to INEC.

He, however, said that the commission could not pretend to have
the records of every birth or death that had occurred since
2015.

“We look forward to the day when every single birth or death
case will be efficiently documented by the commission,” Duruijeoma
said.

He said that copies of the MoU had been circulated among
relevant officers within the commission and that necessary inputs
were already being made.

He assured the INEC chairman of his readiness to sign the MoU
once it was finalised.

NAN