Boko Haram: INEC blames low turnout of registered voters in Yobe on insecurity

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Yobe state has blamed the low turnout of registered voters on the security situation in the state as it registered only 27,768 voters in 17 local government areas of the state since the commencement of the exercise in April this year.
Barrister Waziri Zannah, the INEC administrative officer in the state made this disclosure on Friday, while chatting with journalists in his office.

According to him, there are 17 registration centres in the state, of which 14 are located in the local government area INEC offices, while the three centres are located in Gujba, Gulani and Yunusari local government areas.
“In Gujba local government area, the registration centre was relocated to the local government Secretariat, the one of Gulani is also relocated to the local government secretariat, while in Yunusari local government area, the centre was relocated to Mozogun primary school.
Barrister Waziri said the commission has received series of complaints with regards to the station of the registration centres which resulted in overcrowding, adding that, in response to this complaints, the commission made provision for additional 6 registration centres in the state.

He said, the centres are: Umar Suleiman primary school in Bade local government area, Government Day secondary school Damaturu phase 1 in Damaturu local government, kara primary school in Potiskum, Central primary school Damagum in Fune local government, Ngilewa primary school in Nguru local government and Dispensary in Jakusko local government area.
According to him, the Continuous Voters Registration is meant for only those who have attained the registrable age of 18 years and those who for some reasons could not register in the previous exercise.
Barrister Zanna called on the public to note the changes and the additional centres, adding that, those whose names appear in the INEC’s electronic voters register but lost their cards or have mutilated or defaced their PVC should never register again.

“All that they need to do is to meet the registration officials at the centres for guidance on the steps they need to take to make correction.”