[size=14pt]Nigeria: INEC Registers 7.5 Million Voters in Adamawa,Bauchi, Borno, Plateau[/size]

Bauchi/Yola/Jos/Maiduguri — Voter registration for the April poll finally ended on Monday, with even the three troubled states of Bauchi, Borno, and Plateau turning up 5.8 million registrants, and Adamawa producing 1.7 million, making a total 7.5 million, a figure not too wide off the mark set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Borno had 2.1 million registered, Bauchi (1.6 million), and Plateau (2.09 million).

Borno State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Tukur Sa'ad, warned that those who registered in more than one centre will be arrested and handed over to the police for prosecution, in line with the Electoral Act which prescribes a N100,000 fine or 12 months in prison.

INEC Administrative Secretary, Aminu Bello, said the Commission had approximated that 2.4 million would be registered in Bauchi, but the figure came down to 1.6 million, excluding the result of five councils where the exercise did not start in time due to late arrival of Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines, coupled with civil disturbances.

A mop up exercise is going on in Shira, Kirfi, Ganjuwa, Tafawa Balewa, and Bogoro Councils, he added, after which the actual number of eligible voters in Bauchi will be known.

A total 2.099 million people were registered on the Plateau, despite security breaches in some councils, according to the state REC, Habu Zarma.

He told a press conference in Jos on Monday that the INEC did well in the exercise, but the "final figure will be made known after aggregation."

He listed the challenges to include the stealing of seven DDC machines in Langtang North Council, four of which were later recovered.

Zarma insisted that the integrity of the electoral process has not been compromised in Plateau State.

"Once the data are aggregated, double registration will be detected and such names will be expunged from the register, and such persons will be made to face the full wrath of the law," he pledged.

He expressed regret at the death of two registration officials, Ishaya Kanga and Mercy Dantong.

Adamawa REC Kassim Gaidam told journalists in Yola that the exercise was a huge success in the state as over 85 per cent of the target was achieved.

He said though there were technical hitches, the 1.7 million registered was far better than the 1.2 million registered in the state in 2006.

http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/201102080350.html