Commission set to investigate underage voting in Kano election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed plans to investigate claims of underage voting in the Kano State local government elections that took place on February 10, 2018.

There has been public outcry against the commission after pictures and videos emerged online showing apparently underage children voting during the election.

While speaking at the Election Project Plan Implementation Workshop in Lagos on Friday, February 16, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, promised that the commission has put plans in place to conduct a comprehensive investigation.

He said, "We wish to assure Nigerians that the matter will be fully investigated. A National Commissioner will lead a team including technical staff drawn from Voter Registry, ICT and Electoral Operations Depts for an immediate and comprehensive investigation. We will share the findings with Nigerians."

Officials can't prevent underage voting - INEC

While addressing the controversy on the African Independent Television (AIT) on Wednesday, February 14, INEC's Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, explained that the reason officials cannot prevent underage registration and voting in the region is that they are threatened by some members of the community.

He said when officials face apparent danger, they can decide to cave in to the pressure and report the issue when they are in a safe zone.

He said, "I agree that it is the responsibility of the registration officer to do that (refuse to register underage persons), but there are times that circumstances are such that where there is present and clear danger that he risks being assaulted or being killed, I think it will be unreasonable to expect him not to succumb to the pressure. But we encourage them to report immediately they get out of that dangerous zone."

Osaze-Uzzi further revealed that the agency has mechanisms in place to invalidate registrations that are made under undue pressure such as threat to life of officials.

He lamented that it's impossible for the process to be perfect, but implored the media and members of the public to assist the agency by exposing fraudulent areas and cleaning up the register as the 2019 general elections approach.