Publish Names Of Voters Whose Registrations Were Cancelled – SDP Tells INEC

By Ayodele Oni

The Social Democratic Party, (SDP) in Ekiti State has requested for the identities of prospective voters whose registration for voters card was not granted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).

The party said in a statement on Monday in Ado Ekiti that names of such voters should be published to enable them know their voting status.

The commission had announced that about 40 percent of prospective voters that participated in the registration exercise carried out by the commission early this year, did not scale through.

Investigations revealed that as INEC officials commenced distribution of the permanent voters cards at the various wards in the state, some people could not get their cards.

INEC had blamed the mass cancellation on irregularities observed in their registration process.

A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Social Democratic Party in Ekiti State, Gani Salau on Monday in Ado Ekiti, urged the INEC to as a matter of urgency reveal the identities within the time frame that the electorate are supposed to collect the Permanent Voter Cards for the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

The statement reads: “We are appealing to the INEC Chairman, Professor Mamoud  Yakub and Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr  Adeniran Tella and other officials concerned to make public names of prospective voters that have been cancelled due to the alleged irregularities.

“This will make it clear to all and sundry and put to rest the allegation of INEC connivance with the All Progressive Congress in the state that the PVCs were earlier collected in bulk.

“With this, those that their registration were cancelled will be known while those whose names are not there will be able to hold INEC responsible for the whereabout of their PVCs.

“Failure to do this within the time frame, we will not have other option than to hold INEC responsible.

“The Social Democratic Party in Ekiti State strongly demands from INEC to be free and fair to all political parties in the state which is one of the hallmarks of democracy.”

The image maker of the party had earlier alleged last week that notable stalwarts of the All Progressive Congress had been to the INEC office, along new Iyin road in Ado Ekiti to pack some voter cards allegedly to disenfranchise original owners and up till now, there has not been any official statement in contrary to the allegation.