INEC Denies Spending N5 billion on Voters' Registration

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Maurice Iwu has dismissed as false, reports that the commission has used the sum of N50 billion to conduct voter’s registration exercise.

Iwu who stated this at a workshop organized by the commission and some stakeholders in Abuja Wednesday, to address the issue of voters’ apathy also cautioned Nigerians not to be ‘deceived’ by calls by some groups campaigning against the commission.

The INEC chairman who has been under fire with calls by Labour and Civil Rights groups for his removal debunked the N50 billion allegation saying there was no way the commission could have spent such an amount when the 2010 budget from which it can access funds has not been signed into law.

He described the allegation as laughable and urged Nigerians to disregard it.

Calling on the electorate not to be deceived by the antics of the agitating groups, Iwu said they are using the call for electoral reforms as a smoke screen to cover their undemocratic intentions against the country.

He said the same group had opposed the reforms when it was first introduced by the commission prior to the 2007 elections.

Iwu said the same set of persons had plotted to derail the 2007 elections.

The INEC boss said the commission is ready to conduct a credible election in 2011 and urged all Nigerians to get involved in the process in the interest of the nation.

He said that the commission has taken critical steps to reduce incidences of rigging and other electoral malpractices.

He explained that ballot boxes for the elections are to be customized for each polling units, which according to him, will make it "useless for any body to snatch the boxes for the purpose of rigging election any other areas."

On the issue of voters’ apathy Iwu noted that the phenomenon has become a major problem to the electoral process, noting that the problem is largely created by falsehood orchestrated by some people who would want to divert the attention of the electorate.

The workshop, with the theme "Addressing Voter Apathy in The 2010 FCT Council Elections" was designed to sensitize the electorates on the need insist that their votes counts at the forthcoming polls on the area.