By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has disclosed that Nigerians do not need to produce their National Identification Number (NIN) before taking part in the new voter registration scheduled to start on the 28th of June.
Prof. Yakubu said having NIN was not mandatory while addressing Newsmen on Thursday, April 1, in Abuja.
He stated, “I want to make this important clarification. NIN is not going to be made mandatory for voter registration.
“This is for a simple reason that we are operating on the basis of the law establishing INEC.
“Section 10 of the Electoral Act lists identifications to be presented by prospective registrants for the purpose of voter registration to include birth certificate, national passport, national identity card.”
The INEC chairman further explained that the NIN card was only one of the means of identification provided for, under section 10 sub-section 2 of the Electoral Act, and as such, other forms of identification can be used by an intending voter.
“We cannot single that out and make it mandatory. All the other requirements are requirements of the law and we must apply the law appropriately. If you have your national ID card we will register you on the presentation of the card, but we will not make it a mandatory means of identification for the exercise.
Since the law, the Electoral Act, does not make it mandatory, it is only one of the many means of identification required,” he informed the journalists.
Prof. Yakubu also revealed that the commission would soon launch a Voter Enrolment Device with which any eligible person could begin the process of voter registration and complete it at the nearest registration centre for data capturing.