Remove Dead Nigerians From Voter Register, Reps Tell INEC

The House of Representatives has urged the management of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the names of millions of people who are dead and non-existent persons from the voter register.

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion under Matter of Urgent Public Importance titled: “Urgent need for INEC to develop a mechanism to clean up its system of dead and fictitious registered voters,” sponsored by Hon Leke Abejide.

In his lead debate, Hon Abejide said: “The House is aware that the Independent National Electoral Commission’s register is full of millions of people who are dead and non-existent persons.

“The House notes that in the last General Election, it was glaring and crystal clear that people that were long dead had their names still displayed in the voters’ register.

“Even my own deceased Father, who passed on long ago, still has his name displayed on the Board.

“The House further notes that apart from dead voters, millions of fictitious voters do not exist anywhere on this planet earth but have their names on INEC registered voters.

“It is believed that this came to be as a result of double or multiple registrations by Nigerians who had or have the intention of rigging elections, but the advent of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), these faceless individuals can no longer vote anymore.

To achieve this, the lawmakers tasked INEC management with the need to embark on vigorous public enlightenment for all Nigerians to be aware of what makes the voters register bogus: the number of dead and fictitious persons.

The lawmakers also urged the Commission to develop a mechanism or software application where families who lost their loved ones can report the demise of a particular PVC number so that it can be duly deleted from INEC register, polling unit, and ward.

The lawmakers stressed that whoever does not vote in two election cycles should be deleted from INEC register as a non-existing human being.

To this end, the House mandated its Committee on Electoral Matters to ensure compliance.