INEC Refuse Mandatory Use Of NIN For Voters’ Registration

On Thursday, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, stated that the use of the National Identity Number for Continuous Voters’ Registration would not be permitted.

He told journalists at a press conference that the Electoral Act recognizes birth certificates, national passports, and national identification cards as documents for voter registration.

National Identification Number (NIN) is one of many choices open to Nigerians to verify their age, identity, and nationality, according to him, and it cannot be made mandatory.

Yakubu stated, “The NIN is not going to be mandatory for the simple reason that we are operating on the basis of the law establishing INEC. Section 10 of the Electoral Act lists the means of identification to be presented by prospective registrants for the purpose of registration.

“These includes, birth certificate, national passport, national identity card, or any other document that will prove the identity, age, and nationality of the applicants. The NIN is only one of the means of identification provided for under section 10 (2) of the Electoral Act.

“We can’t single that out and make it mandatory. All the other requirements are requirements of the law and we must apply the law equally. Yes, if you have your national ID card, you can present it during registration but we will not make it mandatory means of identification for the exercise.”

The registration exercise, according to Yakubu, will last for more than a year, until the third quarter of 2022.

Earlier this year, the commission announced that the exercise will begin in the first quarter of 2021.