By Abdulmalik Kawu, Abuja
A coalition of over 70 civil society organizations in Nigeria has urged the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reopen the closed voters’ registration exercise
Ms Ene Obi, convener of Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, who made the appeal in Abuja on Wednesday urged the electoral umpire to give voters one more month in view of the number of those unable to register their names.
Dailynewscraft recalls that INEC ended the Voter’s registration exercise on Sunday 31st July 2022.

Obi noted that such window would enable those willing to participate in the exercise but could not, due to technical and other glitches to register in order not to dissuade them from attempts to exercise their franchise.

She said: “The civil society organisations are advocating and appealing to INEC to reopen (registration) because a lot more want to register and we don’t want to shutdown their enthusiasm. So, it is important that they reopen it even if it is for one month.

“More 11 million of those who completed their forms online were unable to complete their registration. That means you are losing 11 million electorate. That’s whooping, and INEC should address it. We are still appealing that more of them can still register. They should open it even if it is a window of one month.”

Also speaking, Sa’ad Idris, the director- general of the electoral institute, said there was need for as many Nigerians as possible to be given the opportunity to register and vote at the 2023 general elections. He also emphasized the need for politicians to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the new electoral act
“The unfortunate preponderance of many legal cases arising even from the pre-election period up till after the conduct of the elections, indeed have at many times brought a lot of challenges to the electoral process and our country’s political development at large.

“It is hoped that through careful study of the act, due influence can be brought to bear and reduce the swift race to the courts that has characterised our political space in the last 10 years,” he stated.