4 October 1998
Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) — Voter registration begins Monday in Nigeria to prepare for a series of polls leading to the handover of power by the current military ruler, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar 29 May,1999.
The federal electoral commission estimated that the country has 60 million eligible voters of 18 years and above.
The commission, chaired by Justice Ephraim Akpata, has already distributed the registration cards and other relevant documents to Nigeria's 36 states and Abuja, the federal capital.
The last voters register, compiled in April by the defunct national electoral commission under the regime of late military ruler Gen. Sani Abacha, was cancelled by Gen. Abubakar's government.
Speaking on the eve of the fresh voter registration, Akpata warned against multiple registration or purchase of voters cards for purposes of electoral fraud.
"We are not unmindful of the misdirected ingenuity of some ambitious individuals to devise counter measures to thwart our efforts," he said, adding, however "we are up to the task."
His commission has been promised some 3.5 billion naira to carry out its work during the transition programme (86 naira = 1 USD).
Meanwhile some of the 26 political associations seeking registration as political parties have embarked on campaigns to mobilise supporters for the voter registration.
The electoral commission said it has increased polling stations nationwide from 75,000 to 111,430 while the number of wards in the 776 local councils have been raised from 8,131 to 8,692.
The registration, which ends 19 october is to be followed by the display preliminary list of voters for claims and objections slated for 20-22 October.
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