INEC discovers underage voters after Pulse investigation

The Taraba State Chapter of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed the fraudulent registration of underage voters in the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise ongoing in the state after an investigative report by Pulse Nigeria.

Pulse had contacted the commission about a registration centre in Donzomga Primary School in Donga, Donga Local Government Area of Taraba State where underage voters are registered and paid the sum of N200 as reward.

In a statement first sent to Pulse by the commission on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, the Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Taraba State office, Fabian Vwamhi, said ineligible persons have been discovered in the voter's register in violation of the Electoral Act.

The statement read, "Following its laid down processes, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Taraba State office has discovered that some ineligible persons have been registered in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise. This is not only contrary to the INEC Guidelines for Registration but is also a violation of the Electoral Act.

"Consequently, the Taraba State Office has flagged these illegal registrations for removal from the Voters Register.

"In addition, it has queried the electoral officer, as well as the registration officer for the centre; informed the commission's headquarters in Abuja; and drawn the attention of the security agencies for further investigation and possible prosecution of all found to have been involved, including INEC staff."

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According to the statistics recently released by INEC, out of a total of 73,944,312 registered voters across Nigeria, as of January 2018, Taraba State has 1,505,902 registered voters.