Over 15,000 voters’ cards yet to be claimed in Bauchi —INEC

Armstrong Bakam, Bauchi

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that over 15,000 voters’ cards are lying dormant at the Bauchi State office, yet to be claimed.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Bauchi State, Ibrahim Abdullahi, disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Mohammed Abubakar at Government House, Bauchi, on Thursday.

He said the unclaimed voters’ cards were for the first phase of registration early this year, adding that the second phase was on-going.

Abdullahi added, “During the first phase of the voter registration, over 35,000 voters registered in Bauchi State, out of which 15,000 are yet to collect their cards.”

He lamented, “Despite the use of the electronic media, there is still low turnout of eligible voters during the last voter registration exercise.”

He urged politicians and political parties to encourage their people to participate in the phase 2 of the voter registration exercise.

In response, Governor Abubakar assured that as “a true democrat who occupied a political office with over 10 years’ experience working in INEC, he has no reason not to support INEC in discharging its duties.

He then directed the Secretary to the State Government, Mohammed Umar Nadada, to convey a meeting with all local government area heads of administration and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that the people are enlightened to participate in the on-going voter registration exercise and to also collect their voters’ cards.