INEC to display updated voters’ register from March 26 to 31

• Claims technology would play key role in 2019 elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will display the updated voters’ register between March 26 and 31.

INEC said it is ready for the 2019 general elections and putting finishing touches to gray areas.

The Commission urged electorates to register, stressing that the display of voters’ register by March, though constitutional, would allow citizens to check and note any discrepancies in the list and also ensure that those that are not eligible to vote are removed.

Addressing participants at the “Citizens, Government and Technology” session at the on-going Social Media Week (SMW), via Skype from Abuja, yesterday, in Lagos, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the Commission will consolidate on the success of the last general elections.

Yakubu said the Commission would be relying greatly on the strength of technology to deliver on 2019 elections and even the two gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun in July and September respectively.

According to him, the Commission has studied all the complaints from the field and currently working to ensure hitch free elections, adding: “INEC is fixing the card readers and has started training staff members that will handle them. We are going to enhance the functionality of all the equipment to be deployed for the election.”

The INEC boss said the hallmark of the current process is to ensure the use of technology to protect the integrity of the elections.

While calling on Nigerians to register and get their PVCs, Yakubu said though as at last December, about 68 political parties have been registered, “however, as at last Friday, 108 applications are being processed for political party.” They are undergoing screening currently.”

He said the commission was glad that out of the 21 parties that were registered recently, four were driven by women.