Ikoro Collective Condemns Attempt To Disrupt Voter Registration; Calls For Three Months Extension By INEC

The Ikọrọ Collective, a social justice, equity and fairness advocacy group, has strongly condemned attempts by some people to harass and intimidate individuals who had trooped out to register to vote in the 2023 general elections.

In the last few days, the media have been awash with reports of violent attempts by some citizens to deny others of their right to register in the ongoing continuous voter registration being conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In a statement jointly signed by Chief Kanayo Esinulo and Dr. Tony Onyima, the group lamented that these “sad and unfortunate incidents are more pronounced in Lagos State, which hitherto has had a reputation of being very accommodating for all residents irrespective of tribe, political divide or religion”.

The statement described such attempts as “threat to the fragile peace and co-existence in Nigeria”; more so when the intimidation is directed at a particular ethnic group”.

Representative democracy, the group said, “thrives when the citizens participate actively in the political and electoral processes. Registration to vote is one of these processes. It’s, therefore, shocking and irresponsible for some people to seek to disrupt this all important exercise”.

The group said “it’s highly disappointed at the silence of notable politicians and community leaders over this unpatriotic and nefarious activity”.

“We call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Lagos State Commissioner of Police to fish out these unpatriotic elements and make them to face the law before the matter snowballs into a breakdown of law and order”, the statement added.

It will be recalled that during the 2019 election similar disruptions occurred when violence was visited on polling booths in areas of the state known to harbour predominantly non-indigenous population.

Voters were brutalised, stopped from accessing polling units and their ballots destroyed for those who had succeeded in voting. Since then, neither INEC nor Police have issued any statement on the sad incident.

Meanwhile, the group has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the deadline for voter registration by three months.

“The online portal should immediately be reopened for 90 days while the physical registration should be extended by three months from June 30. According to the group, the extension has become compelling because of a surge in the number of Nigerians who are willing to exercise their civic duty next year and the disruption in registration in Lagos and other parts of the country.

“To demonstrate its neutrality, INEC should in addition, channel additional resources to the exercise”, the statement concluded.