From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has attributed the unwillingness of people of the state to participate in the ongoing voter’s registration exercise to voter’s apathy and insecurity.
This is as the commission lamented that only one person has registered in Ohaji/ Egbema council ,while nobody has registered in Isu council of the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday said nobody had registered in Isu while only one person had registered in Ohaji/Egbema local government areas of Imo State.
The Public Relations Officer for INEC in Imo State, Dr Maryann Godslight made the disclosure this yesterday while speaking on a live radio programme on Hot FM in Owerri, the Imo state capital.
According to her, Imo people were not coming out for registration due to insecurity and apathy as a result of the political system.
Dr Godslight said “so far, nobody has come to register in Isu while only one person had registered in Orsu and Ohaji/Egbema local government areas of Imo in this ongoing registration exercise.
“Due to the insecurity in places like Orsu, Isu, and some other places, people are not coming out to register to vote. For instance, due to insecurity, INEC couldn’t go to Orsu but we have a registration point at the state headquarters and only one person has been registered for Orsu as we speak now.
“The sit-at-home situation is also a problem. We are yet to register anybody from Isu local government area, the people are not coming out to register even with our officials on ground there. The turn out has been poor.
“We are still appealing to people to come out to register to vote, it’s their civic responsibility and we are on ground to register them”, the INEC official said.
However, Coordinator of Electoral Rights Protection Network, Mr Udochukwu Chukwu said the apathy was as a result of loss of confidence, lack of awareness and adequate information about the exercise both online and offline.
He blamed the apathy on lack of adequate awareness by INEC, and elected government office holders who he said should have embarked on massive sensitization of their constituents like others in the southwest and northern states.
He said “INEC didn’t give the right information on how to register online like to add sttvs before one can access the self registration portal.
“However, the challenge is that despite the insecurity scare in some parts of Imo State, our politicians still brandish humongous voter figures from such areas during elections.
“Political office holders should sensitize the people to come out and register to vote. INEC should sensitize people more but I know that aftermath the outcome of the 2023 elections, the average Imo people have lost total confidence in the political system which is reflecting as apathy now”, Chukwu said.
Currently, Imo State has recorded less than 1,000 new voters in the ongoing voters registration exercise while other states in the southwest were recording massive new voters registration.
