Why it’s impossible to resume CVR exercise – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is “constitutionally and legally impossible” to resume the continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise.

On Tuesday, NAN reported that a federal high court in Abuja had ordered INEC to resume the CVR exercise.

The news agency subsequently clarified that the court refused to grant the request of the plaintiffs.

However, commenting on the issue, Festus Okoye, the INEC spokesperson, said it will be “realistically impossible” for the commission to resume voter registration.

In reaction, Okoye said INEC has not received the certified true copies (CTCs) of the judgment of the court.

READ ALSO: Court orders INEC to resume Continuous Voter Registration

The INEC spokesperson cited challenges of resources and mobilisation of security personnel as factors that may prevent a resumption.

“It would be constitutionally and legally impossible for the commission to resume the continuous voter registration exercise,” he said.

“This is without prejudice to the commission’s position that we abide and obey judgements and orders from properly constituted courts of law.

“Realistically, it will be next to impossible for the commission to mobilise the necessary resources to go back and start the CVR. Second, realistically, it will be next to impossible to mobilise the number of personnel required to carry out the exercise.

“It will also be next to impossible to mobilise the number of security personnel that will be required to continue the CVR. Realistically, it will be logistically impossible for the commission to mobilise and go back to the exercise.”

INEC had initially fixed June 30 as the deadline for the CVR exercise which started in 2021 but the commission later extended the deadline to July 31.

Some individuals and civil society organisations subsequently instituted legal action against the commission for ending the exercise, saying it should only be stopped 90 days before the election, as stipulated by law.