IDPs to vote in general elections – INEC boss

Mahmoud Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that displaced Nigerians living in camps will vote in the 2023 general election.

The INEC commissioner made this known on Tuesday, January 17 at Chatham House when speaking on the country's preparedness ahead of the elections.

According to him, violence would be a major challenge to the success of the election in February.

He said the commission worked with the National Assembly to amend the Electoral to ensure displaced persons in camps can also vote.

Mr Yakubu said the decision was informed by the high number of estimated IDPs noted in 2015 in the North East and North Central.

“In 2015, an estimated 2 million voters were displaced by conflict in the North-East and North-Central part of the country. In response, the Commission worked with the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act to support voting by Internally Displaced Persons (IDP). This entailed making additional provisions for enumeration of IDP voters and for voting in their camps.

“In response to the IDP problem, the Commission recently revised its Policy on IDP Voting, which it has been using since 2015, to cater for new realities of displaced populations,” he said.

The boss of the electoral commission however said in some states, the IDPs are not in identified camps which would be difficult to coordinate.

“Unfortunately, in some States it is difficult to identify the IDPs because they are not in camps but rather settled among extended family members, relations and good Samaritans within safer communities where they are not registered voters. As a result, it is very difficult for the Commission to provide necessary electoral services to such IDPs. However, those in camps within Nigeria will be catered for in line with the Commission’s policy,” Mr Yakubu said.

NBA