Millions of Nigerians affected by the suspension of the continuous registration of voters exercise by the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, had their hope of participating in next year’s general elections rekindled on Tuesday as a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the electoral umpire to resume the exercise.
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ruled that the voters’ registration ought to last until 90 days before the 2023 general election.
The judge delivered the ruling in a suit filed by one Anajat Salmat and three others, wherein the plaintiff argued that INEC cannot stop the continuous voter registration before the time stipulated by law.
Justice Ekwo agreed with the plaintiffs and ordered the electoral umpire not to disenfranchise citizens in the coming polls as a result of lack of voter cards.
“The case of the plaintiffs succeeds on merit,” the judge declared.
It would be recalled that INEC launched an online voters’ registration portal in June 2021 for Nigerians to register and request to update their voter information before they complete the process physically at designated centres.
The commission fixed June 30 as the initial deadline for the CVR ahead of the 2023 elections.
However, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and 185 other individuals approached a court to seek an extension for voters’ registration.
The court ordered INEC to extended the voter registration till July 31.
INEC has not reacted to the court ruling.