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INEC Rivers has done well, the fault is the registrants’ – Resident

• No indication of extension -PRO

By Egufe Yafugborhi & Chijioke Nwankpa, PORT HARCOURT

TEEMING prospecting registrants at the Rivers State INEC office in Port Harcourt have called for further extension of the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) as Sunday 31July deadline to end the exercise closes.

As late as 3.44 pm when Vanguard visited the State Office on Aba Road, the crowd of resident was still surging with many shut out and swarming the commission’s gate as the INEC officials take them in for registration in batches.

Okechukwu Jonathan, one of the teeming prospective registrant still stranded called for further extension of time for the exercise, a position expressed by virtually everyone in his shoe who fear they may eventually end up not being registered.

Jonathan said, “I would love them to extend the time so that people can register. Most people don’t have time because of work. This (Sundays) is the time most people can come.”

Francis Ebony, another waiting registrant however scored INEC high on organization of the exercise even at the rush hour, faulting registrants for the eventual slow pace of the closing operation which he attributed to the disorderly behavior of Registrants.

According to Ebony, “Those who opted to disregard the queue arrangements put in place by officials to ensure smooth running of the process are to blame for the hitches and induced downtime. INEC has tried and still trying.”

Geraldine Ekelemu, Public Affairs Officer, INEC Rivers state, responded that nothing so far suggest that the commission will give another extension of time, blaming the situation where are yet to register on the Nigerian factor.

Ekelemu told Vanguard, “As you are aware, this programme is ending today, and the crowd has been increasing by the day, of course because of the Nigerian factor.

“We always tend to way till the deadlines of duties before we turn up and that is also what we are experiencing as a commission here and across the LGAs and in some other states.

“So far it has been smooth. Some days we’ve experienced downtime with network, but it picks up immediately and we are able attend to all who tur up each day.

“Today, even as we close, we will attend to everyone who has turned up as this exercise comes to a close. We have about three centers at this state office.

“We have four, three machines working in some of the centers, taking the crowd of those who have turned up in batches. The hall already full and that’s why you have some persons waiting outside in and outside the gate.

“So, once we clear the hall, we take in another batch. If we allow everyone to come in at a time, the place is going to be in a total mess.

No indicator from headquarters that we are planning to extend the exercise. 31st July is 31st. This exercise has been on for over a year now. Anyone with intention to register an participate in the coming elections should have done the needful today.”