INEC Accuses Governor Bello of Double Registration

Fri, May 26, 2017 | By publisher


Political Briefs

THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has accused Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State of double registration for permanent voter card in violation of the electoral law.

A statement by Solomon Soyebi, national commissioner and chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, IVEC, of the INEC alleged that Bello’s second registration was done on Tuesday, May 23, at the Government House in Lokoja, outside the designated centre for ongoing nationwide continuous voter registration, CVR.

Soyebi’s statement said in part: “It has come to the attention of INEC that Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello registered as a voter for the second time on Tuesday, May 23, at the Government House in Lokoja.

“His first registration was on January 30, 2011, in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja. The governor’s double registration, and doing so outside lNEC’s designated centres, are both illegal.

”For the Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, INEC has designated a centre in each of the country’s 774 local governments areas, including FCT’s six area councils.

“We wish to clarify that no INEC worker was authorised to re-register Bello or any citizen, or to do so outside our designated registration centres. The commission, therefore, dissociates itself from the governor’s action, and promises to take disciplinary action against the staff who conducted Bello’s second registration.

“As for the governor, Section 308 (l) (a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), precludes lNEC from prosecuting him while in office. However, the commission has cancelled his second and illegal registration forthwith.”

It added that Bello’s second registration would be cancelled as the Electoral Law and the commission’s guidelines make no exception for anyone to register more than once, and to do so outside designated centres.

As a sitting governor, Bello is immune from prosecution in accordance with the electoral law. The INEC, was, however, silent on whether the governor would be prosecuted after leaving office.

—  Jun 5, 2017 @ 01:00 GMT

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