The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Wednesday knocked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the proposed nationwide voter revalidation exercise, citing urgent need for clarification.
The party, while reacting further, said such a move, if confirmed, could disrupt the electoral process and disenfranchise millions of voters.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi.
The opposition party described the alleged plan, reportedly contained in a leaked internal memo, as a “recipe for chaos,” especially given its timing less than ten months before the next elections.
The party expressed concern that requiring already registered voters to revalidate their details within a limited timeframe would discourage participation and worsen existing voter apathy.
According to the party, the policy could unfairly affect citizens who may be unable to travel to designated centres to complete the process.
“Are Nigerians who cannot return for this exercise to lose their right to vote?” the statement queried, highlighting the potential exclusion of millions under such a system.
The party also warned that introducing additional procedural hurdles at a critical pre-election period could undermine public confidence in the electoral process. It argued that reduced voter turnout would inevitably raise questions about the legitimacy and credibility of the elections.
The party also cautioned INEC against actions that might be perceived as politically motivated. It suggested that confusion arising from such a policy could inadvertently benefit the ruling party, urging the electoral body to remain impartial and transparent in its operations.
The party frowned at a situation where the information leaked via a memo, rather than an official announcement.
The development according to the statement is troubling, noting that a national exercise of such magnitude should be communicated clearly and in advance to the public.
The ADC maintained that if voter revalidation was necessary, it should have been conducted shortly after the last general elections not on the eve of another.
ADC has therefore, callled for immediate clarification while urged INEC to abandon any such proposal.
