Nigerians sue INEC for disallowing them from completing voter registration

After failing to give them and seven million other Nigerians adequate time and opportunity to complete their voter registration after they had started their registration online, twenty-four Nigerians have dragged the Independent Na­tional Electoral Commission (INEC) to court in a lawsuit.

The plaintiffs, who are suing for themselves and on behalf of seven million other Nigerians, want to complete the registration process so that they can get their permanent voter cards (PVCs), and exercise their civil rights to vote.

Recall that lately, INEC revealed that from the 10,487,972 Nigerians who carried out their pre-registration online, only 3,444,378 completed the process at a physical centre, representing just 32.8 percent of completed online registration.

In the suit with number FHC/ABJ/CS/1662/2022 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the plaintiffs are seeking “an order of manda­mus to direct and compel INEC to re-activate its continuous voter’s registration exercise to allow the plaintiffs to complete their registration and collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).”

The plaintiffs are also seek­ing “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to provide adequate facilities and deploy personnel to the regis­tration units of the plaintiffs to enable them to complete their registration and collect their PVCs.”

They are arguing that “We have completed the online registration exercise. Denying us the time and oppor­tunity to complete the registra­tion for our PVCs would impair our right to vote, and deny us a voice in the 2023 elections.”

The contenders are also ar­guing that, “The inability to complete our registration is entirely due to factors outside of our control. We are eligible Nigerians but unless we are given a reasonable time and opportunity to complete the registration process, and ob­tain our voter cards, we will not be able to vote in the 2023 general elections.”

Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms. Adelanke Aremo, lawyers for So­cio-Economic Rights and Ac­countability Project (SERAP), who filed the suit on behalf of the plaintiffs also read in part: “Closing the gates on eligi­ble Nigerians cannot preserve trust in the electoral process.

“According to reports, the inability of Nigerians to complete their voters’ registra­tion exercise or even transfer their permanent voters’ card, affected wide spectrums of persons, hence this class ac­tion by the identified plaintiffs on behalf of other affected Ni­gerians.

“There were reports of in­cidence of bribery, unethical conducts of INEC staff, reg­istration process marred by irregularities, insufficient machines, malfunctioning of machines, insufficient staff and unskilled staff, before the defendant ended the continuous voters’ reg­istration exercise on the 31st July, 2022.

“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.

“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.

“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 plaintiffs and seven million other 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.”

The twenty-four Nigerians include Adeeyo Bayo Wasiu, Kunat Tychius Amos, Tagbo Philips Chidubem, Emeghe Uchanma Grace, Ayoola Opeyemi Ebenezer, Eche Onah Otakpa, Olatoye Clem­ent Damilola, and Ogunejiofor Raphael Emeka.

Others include: Adedotun Adegoke Babatunde, Em­manuel Promise Tochukwu, Emmanuel Ternajev, Joy Olu­wadamilola Ige, Lawerence Ignatius, Agbede Kunle, Eze Daniel Ndubisi, and Nkem­dilim Agbor Bassey.

Others are Omoike Ire­dia Oseine, Joshua Patrick Ogenekaro, Wisdom Emeka, Ukpe Victor Destiny, Abayomi Opeoluwa, Ndubuisi Anthony Ahanihu, Akande Akintunde O, and Adamma Rhodes.

However, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.