The Independent National Electoral Commission (NAN) has accused Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello of double registration for Permanent Voter Card, as against the electoral law.
A statement by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Prince Solomon Soyebi, said Bello’s second registration was done on Tuesday at the Government House in Lokoja, outside the designated centre for ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).
The statement reads; “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 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 will 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.
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