Politics
Allow 7m Nigerians to complete voter registration or face legal action, SERAP tells INEC
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to “immediately give seven million Nigerians who have carried out their voter registration online the time and opportunity to complete the process, so that they can obtain their permanent voter cards (PVCs), and exercise their right to vote.”
INEC recently disclosed that out of 10,487,972 Nigerians who carried out their pre-registration online, only 3,444,378 completed the process at a physical centre. This represents just 32.8 percent of completed online registration.
In the letter dated 13 August 2022 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The right to vote is not merely the right to cast a ballot but also the right to be given the time and opportunity to complete the registration process, so that the right can be meaningfully and effectively exercised.”
SERAP said, “Closing the gates on eligible Nigerians and denying them the time and opportunity to complete their registration cannot preserve trust in the electoral process.”
According to SERAP, “Denying a significant number of eligible voters the time and opportunity to complete the registration for their PVCs would impair the right to vote of those affected, deny them a voice in the 2023 elections, and lead to disparate and unfair treatment of these voters.”
The letter, read in part, “The failure of the applicants to complete their registration may be due to factors entirely outside of their control, especially given the well-documented challenges faced by many Nigerians at registration centres across the country.”
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP and the affected Nigerians shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel INEC to comply with our request in the public interest.”
“Unless they are given a reasonable time and opportunity to complete the registration process, and to obtain their voter cards, these eligible Nigerians will not be able to vote in the 2023 general elections.”
“If citizens’ chance to vote is denied, that would amount to violation of their fundamental right to vote, just as it would be if they were prevented from casting any vote at all.”
“The alleged failure of the applicants to complete their registration at INEC designated centres are not sufficiently weighty to justify their exclusion from the 2023 general elections.”
“Any proffered justifications of saving time and cost are therefore wholly insufficient. Administrative convenience is simply not a compelling justification in light of the fundamental nature of the right to vote.”
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“This severe vote deprivation cannot be justified by any perceived considerations of saving time, especially because Section 9(6) of the Electoral Act 2022 provides that ‘the registration of voters, updating and revision of the Register of Voters shall not stop not later than 90 days before any election covered by this Act.’”
“Providing fresh opportunity for the over seven million Nigerians to complete their registration would promote and preserve the right to vote, and ensure that legal and eligible voters are not inadvertently and unjustifiably turned away from exercising their fundamental right to vote.”
“By refusing the over seven million Nigerians the opportunity to complete the registration for their PVCs, INEC have unfairly, unreasonably, and unjustifiably denied them the opportunity to be heard at a meaningful time and in a meaningful manner as to the reasons for not completing their registration.”
“Voter distrust is apparent in virtually empty polling places on election days. Nigeria historically has had low levels of voter turnout.”
“Allowing eligible Nigerians to complete their registration would improve citizens’ participation in the electoral process, and public confidence in the electoral system, as well as the ability of INEC to discharge its constitutional and statutory responsibility fairly, justly, and reasonably.”
“The Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) provides in Section 14(1)(c) that, ‘the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.’”
“Similarly, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance guarantee the right to political participation, including the right to vote.”
“According to our information, the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), recently disclosed that over seven million Nigerians who carried out their voter pre-registration online could not complete the process at physical centres.”
“According to a report released by INEC, out of 10,487,972 Nigerians who carried out their pre-registration online, only 3,444,378 Nigerians representing 32.8 percent, completed the process at a physical centre. 7,043,594 Nigerians carried out their pre-registration but are yet to complete the process at a physical centre.”
“This represents over 67 percent of those who began their registration process online.”
“According to INEC, a total of 12,298,944 Nigerians completed their voter registration; 8,854,566 of which were persons who did their registration entirely at a physical centre.”
“The over seven million Nigerians have already completed their registration online, that is, via the INEC online portal by providing their biodata and required documents.”
“According to the INEC process, what is outstanding for the applicants to complete the registration for their PVCs is to visit INEC designated centres for their biometric to be captured.”
Edo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, has accused the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, of showing “symptoms of desperation” over his promise to restore fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027.
Afegbua made the remarks during an interview while reacting to Atiku’s position on the removal of petrol subsidy and the former vice president’s renewed call for government intervention in fuel pricing.
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According to him, Atiku, Peter Obi and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had all campaigned ahead of the 2023 presidential election on the need to remove fuel subsidy.
“Now, talking about fuel subsidy, I think the ADC candidate is showing symptoms of desperation,” Afegbua said.
He argued that Tinubu, after winning the 2023 election, implemented the removal of the petrol subsidy, adding that anyone seeking its return should be properly scrutinised because, in his view, the previous subsidy regime created opportunities for fraud and contributed to the decline of Nigeria’s refineries.
“Anybody who is planning to bring back subsidy, that person should be examined properly, because that person is trying to bring back subsidy scammers, saboteurs, and buccaneers who held down Nigeria for so long using subsidy and crippled our refineries,” he said.
Afegbua also alleged that the ADC was experiencing financial difficulties and suggested that this was influencing its campaign messaging.
“The ADC, as it were today, is undergoing some financial strain. So they are looking for every opportunity to rake in money and all of that,” he said.
The Edo commissioner, however, acknowledged that Nigerians were still facing the effects of high fuel and transportation costs, pointing to ongoing government interventions, including the planned commissioning of 50 CNG buses in Edo State.
He said the buses, expected to be commissioned on October 15, would be distributed across the three senatorial districts and would provide free transportation for passengers.
Recall that Atiku had on August 20, 2026, pledged to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in the 2027 election.
Speaking during a Facebook Live session, the ADC candidate questioned how the resources previously spent on subsidy had been utilised following its removal.
“I initially did not oppose the removal of the fuel subsidy. But now that it has been removed, where is the money? Where has the subsidy money gone?” Atiku asked.
He subsequently said: “If I win the presidential election, I will restore the subsidy. And anyone who stole Nigeria’s subsidy funds must return the money.”
On August 25, Atiku further reaffirmed that his position had not changed, saying, “When I said I would return to subsidy, I will!”
He later clarified that the proposed intervention would be targeted and focused on supporting domestic production rather than simply returning to the former import-subsidy model.
The Vice Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, has stated clear terms and conditions on which he will quit the party, the presidential race and back its rival, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
The former Governor of Rivers State challenged Tinubu to bring the price of petrol down to ₦600 per litre and see him withdraw from the ADC ticket and campaign for the President in the 2027 election.
Amaechi made the challenge while reacting to Tinubu’s Independence Day address and the President’s declaration that Nigeria had entered an “age of prosperity” during an interview on Friday with Channels Television’s Politics Today.
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Questioning the believability of Tinubu’s claim, Amaechi said Nigerians should assess whether the economic reforms had translated into lower prices and improved living conditions.
“It is about believability; who do you believe? Go to the 2005 Presidential speech; it is the same: we have turned the page, and we are about to start enjoyment,” Amaechi said.
“Have you asked one of your staff who goes by transport, how much it costs from Yanya to Abuja? Has anything come down?
“Has any price come down, has anything changed?” he asked.
Using the price of petrol as a test of the government’s economic claims, Amaechi said he would personally visit a filling station to establish whether the product had fallen to ₦600 per litre.
“I will go tomorrow morning to the petrol station to buy fuel, I will go myself, if fuel has come down to 600, I will campaign for President Tinubu,” Amaechi said.
The former Minister for Transport, under late President Muhammadu Buhari also challenged those who doubted his pledge to accompany him with a camera, saying he would withdraw from the ticket he is contesting alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and support Tinubu if petrol had fallen to the stated price.
“If you doubt me, come with your camera to my house, and I will go to the filling station and buy fuel, and I, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi will withdraw as a vice presidential candidate of Atiku and campaign for President Tinubu, if it has come down,” he declared.
The Lagos State governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Funso Doherty, has promised to make education, books and examination fees free across the state within his first 100 days in office if elected governor in 2027.
Doherty made the pledge on Thursday during a special town hall meeting hosted by The Platform, a thought leadership initiative of The Covenant Nation, in Lagos.
Speaking on his plans for his first 100 days in office, the governorship candidate said his administration would make education entirely free, including the provision of books and payment of examination fees.
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“We will also provide one nutritious meal for every kid in public school. We will also provide a programme by which kids who are in public schools are transported free to school if they need it,” Doherty said.
He explained that the measures were aimed at ensuring that no child is denied access to education.
“Because the children, given our demographics, are the hope of the future and will be the time bomb of the future,” he said.
Doherty also promised what he described as truly free healthcare, with particular attention to maternal and child healthcare.
On housing, the NDC candidate said his administration would adopt a large-scale approach to addressing the housing deficit in Lagos, rather than delivering only a few hundred housing units.
“Our commitment is to deliver about 150,000 units in our first term because a large part of the problem with housing is the fact that supply has not kept up with the demand,” he said.
The pledges form part of Doherty’s proposed agenda ahead of the 2027 Lagos State governorship election.
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