November 5, 2014 – Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to account for a shortfall of 1, 447,845 registered voters missing from its register of voters in the state.
Fashola who made the allegation in an interactive forum with State House Correspondent preparatory to issuance of permanent voter card in Lagos noted that at the conclusion of voters registration exercise before the 2011 elections, the number of registered voters in Lagos as announced by INEC was 6,247,845.
But that he was surprised that just last week, INEC announced that the number of registered \voters now stands at 4.8 million.
“This was in an exercise where INEC announced to Nigerians that it has secured an Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to ensure the credibility of the Voters Register.
“INEC owes us a duty to explain how 1,447,845 (One Million, Four Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty Five) voters disappeared from among 6,247,845 registered voters announced by INEC before 2011 elections which now leaves Lagos with only 4,800,000 (Four Million, Eight Hundred Thousand) registered voters”, he said.
Fashola who said he was disturbed by the development wondered if what has happened is the beginning of a plan to disenfranchise Lagosians from exercising their rights to choose who represents them or an indication of something more sinister.
“Let me assert very clearly and categorically that our Government will vigorously stand on the side of every eligible and previously registered voter to have their names back on the Voters Register compiled in 2011 unless INEC can show legitimate reasons why this should not be so”, he said.
The governor called on those who could not vote during the last election due to age to come out from 7th-9th of November 2014 and register, stressing that it is only those whose name appear in the register that would be issued voter card upon which they will exercise their franchise in future election.
