Says figure an attempt to disenfranchise majority of Lagos electorate
LAGOS—Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, described the 4.8 million registered voters figure for Lagos State by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as questionable even as the electoral body is set to distribute Permanent Voters’ Cards, PVCs, to that number of people in the State starting from Friday, November 7 to 9, 2014,
The Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in the state, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, had on October 29, announced the commission’s decision.
Anambra Supplementary Election: INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega addressing pressmen , announcing November 30 for Supplementary election at Anambra State while National Commissioner Lawrence Nwuruku looks on in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.
INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega
Fashola also described the figure as an attempt to disenfranchise majority of Lagos electorate in the forthcoming 2015 general elections as it showed a shortfall of 1,447,845 to the previously released 6,247,845 registered voters announced by INEC in the registration exercise before the 2011 elections.
Meantime, the governor has declared Friday, November 7, 2014, a work-free day for public servants to enable them participate in the first day of the PVCs distribution, which is a working day out of the three days earmarked for collection by INEC.
The governor made the remarks in a special state-wide broadcast to residents on the commencement of the issuance of PVCs by INEC in the state, held at the State House, Marina, Lagos.
Fashola noted that with the commencement of the process of issuance of PVCs in Lagos, the process for elections has therefore, started saying, election is a process, starting from voters’ registration, to balloting, to announcement of results and to election petition and swearing in of elected persons.
“So for the avoidance of any doubt, elections have started,” he said.
