2023: No election in polling unit without registered voters, says Katsina REC

Jibril Zarewa, the Independent National Electoral Commission Resident Electoral Commissioner for Katsina Stateon Monday, declared that election would not take place in any polling unit without registered voters.

He, however, assured that the commission would conduct elections in a polling unit that has “even one voter.”

Zarewa said this in Katsina during a meeting with stakeholders in the state.

The REC had called the meeting to familiarise the stakeholders with the recently signed electoral law and the resumption of Continuous Voters Registration.

He said available records showed that there was low registration in the newly 1,750 additional polling units in the state.

Zarewa implored political leaders, representatives of the civil society organisations as well as various religious leaders and women groups who were in attendance to intensify their sensitisation efforts and mobilise electorates to register at their various polling units.

The REC declared: “It is important to remind our esteemed stakeholders of the creation of additional polling units in Nigeria last year. Katsina has 1,750 new polling units, bringing the total to 6,652.

“While noting that registration was suspended in 17 LGAs, it has been observed, with considerable concern, low registration in the new polling units, even in the 17 LGAs where the exercise did not stop. The implication of this is that many or some polling units may be poorly populated or not populated at all.

‘’Where there is no voter, there will be no election in that polling unit and where there is even one registered voter, the commission will not deny the person the opportunity to vote. Our appeal to all of you is to intensify mobilisation and sensitisation of eligible voters to register or transfer to the new polling units.’’

Zarewa also disclosed that arrangements had been made for residents of the 17 local government areas in the state who did not register in 2021 due to security challenges to register during the resumption of the CVR exercise which he said commences on Tuesday(today).

A participant at the meeting, Hajiya Rabi Muhammed, advised the INEC to increase the level of awareness of its election programmes to residents of the state.