Report: 29% of Nigerians registering to vote encountered violence

Twenty-nine percent of Nigerians who commenced the voter registration process encountered violence, according to a report by SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence.

In June 2021, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) launched the continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise with a portal where Nigerians can register or request to update their voter information before they complete the process physically at designated centres.

In its report evaluating INEC’s CVR process, SBM Intelligence said while much of the focus from INEC and civil society advocates has been on encouraging Nigerians to go and register, there has been little concerted reporting by INEC on actual permanent voter card (PVC) collections.

It said owing to this, a survey was carried out in eight states to access the process from the perspective of the voters, with the aim of bringing stakeholder focus to ensuring that all those who have registered to vote receive their PVCs before the 2023 general election.

According to the report, from the survey of 4,001 Nigerians in these states, more than 20 percent of Nigerians who commenced their voter registration process encountered violence.

“64% of our respondents had commenced the CVR process. Only 41% of those who have started the CVR process have been able to collect their PVCs,” the report reads.

“Only 23% of those who have collected their PVCs were able to do so on their first visit. The rest had to make at least two visits and 20% went at least four times before getting their PVCs.

“Most Nigerians do not trust the reasons INEC has stated for their PVCs not being ready. 29% of those who commenced the CVR process encountered violence in the process.

“Young people below 35 dropped out of the CVR process at a greater proportion than those older than 35. INEC’s failure of being transparent in communicating with prospective voters on the status of the CVR process is one of the key reasons for this drop-off.”

SBM Intelligence recommended that INEC should include publishing of PVC production, actual PVC collection numbers versus registration numbers in its public communications on a monthly basis to keep it accountable.

“INEC should include notifications of readiness of PVCs via SMS in its process in order to bridge the gap between printed PVCs and actual attempts to collect the PVCs,” it added.

“INEC should include a tracking process in its online portal to transparently communicate to the voter where each CVR process is INEC should modify its incentives to its staff to ensure that they prioritise PVC distribution, especially as elections approach.

“Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), activists and funders should modify their campaigns from merely encouraging Voter Registration to mobilising for PVC collection. CSOs and activists should engage INEC closer on PVC collection status and information to demand transparency and accountability on this important point.”