The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) committee on alleged underage voting in Kano has absolved the commission of any role in the incident.
The National Commissioner Abubakar Nahuche-led committee, whose report was made public yesterday, posited that Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (SIIEC) did not use the INEC voter register to accredit voters before the elections.
Besides, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the voter register was not in use in most polling units.
Yakubu therefore said the commission was not responsible for the alleged underage voting, as it has not been linked with the presence of underage registrants on the voter register.
On the amount spent on the failed recall exercise of the senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Mr. Dino Melaye, Yakubu said the commission spent a little over N100 million.
The INEC boss who briefed journalists yesterday on the outcome of the report of the committee set up to investigate the allegation that underage people voted in the last Kano Local Government election, stressed that the commission’s involvement in the said election was limited to legal requirement of providing voter register.
He reiterated that the committee assignment was plainly to inquire into claims linking the register of voters compiled by INEC and the alleged incidents of underage voting in the election.
Why not denying the report that the February 10, 2018 local government election in Kano was characterised by underage voting, he said the committee’s assignment did not cover the general conduct of the election.
He also said the commission has no legal authority to investigate Kano SIEC.
Yakubu, however, called for closer work between the commission and SIECs to ensure improvements in the quality of elections conducted in Nigeria.
He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, let me emphasise first that INEC was not in any way involved in organising the Kano State Local Government election beyond the legal requirement that the register of voters compiled by INEC should be used in all local government elections nationwide. “The conduct of that election was entirely the responsibility of KANSIEC.
“Secondly, let me also emphasise that the investigation committee was not established to inquire into the organisation or challenges of KANSIEC.
“Indeed, INEC has no legal remit to do so.”
