2023 Elections: INEC Clears Air On Voters Registration In Niger Republic

Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has refuted reports that the commission is operating polling units in Niger Republic.

Yakubu insisted that the Nigerian constitution does not allow the conduct of elections outside Nigeria’s territory.

Reports have it that the Nigerian electoral umpire has been registering voters in some parts of the neighbouring country.

A Facebook user, Uche Nwabuike, in a post, alleged that INEC was operating some illegal registration centres outside Nigeria.

However, the Chief Press Secretary to Yakubu, Rotimi Oyekanmi, described such reports as baseless.

Oyekanmi spoke at a Twitter space organised by The ICIR on Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) registration.

“By virtue of the provisions of the Constitution, all elections must take place in Nigeria.

“And to that extent, we cannot register voters or conduct elections outside Nigeria.

“This is why Nigerians in the Diaspora cannot vote from abroad,” he said.