2023 Elections: INEC should deliver' - Adesanya-Davies

As INEC assures Nigerians and reiterated its resolve to rid the voters register of fictitious entries including cases of underage voters and multiple registrations, a frontline female politician activist, university Don and Presidential candidate of Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) in 2019, Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya–Davies commends INEC, saying, “INEC should however make its promise good by allowing its action to speak louder than voice.”

INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. [Punch]
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has restated its determination to stop citizens who have yet to attain the legal voting age from participating in the 2023 general elections.
This comes amid widespread cases of minors/underage registrants and double registration on the voters register displayed on the commission’s website.

Recall that after making the entire register public on its website earlier in November, INEC urged Nigerians to help sanitise the register by identifying and reporting any inconsistencies they may have noticed.

Reacting to the development on a Channels Television programme on Sunday, November 20, 2022, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Victor Aluko, assured Nigerians that the register will be completely sanitised before the February 25, 2023 election.

Aluko’s word: “I assure you that the register will be cleaned up completely and no underage voter will vote in 2023. After we finish with the claims and objections on Friday, we will be taking in again for further claims based on the complaints of the people.

“That is why it is important that persons who noticed any issue at all with the register should complain through the right channels where they can be documented.”

Aluko added that the commission had noted all the complaints made by Nigerians and after collating them, its revision officers at various levels would work on them.

Aluko’s word: “If you complain and you do not let us know that complaint, then how do we work on the complaints?

“That is why I’m saying we take in the register and then we work on the register, and at the end of the day, we have a very clean register as we prepare for the general election.

“And I’m assuring you that no underage person will come to our polling units to come and vote on election day.”

Meanwhile, many Nigerians have since identified several cases of underage voters and double registration, which is quite disturbing and appalling.

Finally, Adesanya-Davies opines that, “2023 presidential election is life and death for Nigerians and as such INEC should deliver – remember to stick to its promise and make it come through.”