Anambra Decides: Students Plan Mass Protests Against INEC
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Joint Campus Committee in Anambra State has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) period by at least 10 days.
The association is threatening statewide protests over alleged systematic exclusion of students from the electoral process.
At a press conference Thursday, NANS JCC Chairman Okpala Okoye accused INEC of deliberately disenfranchising students by failing to provide adequate registration equipment and personnel to tertiary institutions across the state.
“The 10-day registration period granted to Anambra is both unfair and discriminatory, especially when states like Edo, Ondo and Osun enjoyed up to 20 days.
“INEC must act now. We are not asking for special treatment, we are demanding our rights,” Okoye said.
The NANS JJC mentioned seven institutions in the state yet to receive registration equipment throughout the official period for the CVR or only had non-functional machines.
The institutions include Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (Igbariam and Uli campuses), Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Awka and Nnewi), Federal Polytechnic Oko, Federal College of Education Umunze, Anambra State Polytechnic Mgbakwu, Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe, and Anambra State College of Health Obosi.
“This is a coordinated and politically motivated exclusion of students from the democratic process,” Okoye alleged.
He further alleged that no student has been registered at the COOU Igbariam campus due to faulty machines and poor internet connectivity.
Other student leaders held similar views.
The SUG President at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze,
Anyigor Solomon accused the INEC of not visiting the school since the commencement of the CVR.
“We have reached out countless times, yet no response. Now we are being cut off from participating in elections,” Solomon said.
At Anambra State Polytechnic, Mgbakwu, SUG President Ugochukwu described the deployment of just one machine as “a joke”.
“That machine cannot even serve one hostel, let alone the entire campus and surrounding community,” he said.
In Onitsha, the SUG President of Metallurgical Training Institute, Nwabueze Victor, said, “Our entire institution has been left out. Not one person has been registered.”
Speaking for the Council of Departmental Presidents at Anambra State College of Health Technology, Obosi, Asangwo Charles declared, “We are not begging. We are demanding what is ours as Nigerian citizens. INEC must come to our school and register students now.”
The student body warned that if INEC fails to act within 48 hours, it would lead to statewide protests, road closures, and shutdown of INEC offices in Anambra.
Meanwhile, the electoral commission late Thursday, announced the extension of the CVR in the state by three days, which is from Friday to Sunday, July 2.
The exercise which officially commences on July 8 in the state was scheduled to end on July 17.
The commission said it registered 96,085 new voters across 326 registration centres in the state.
According to INEC, 56,017 of the new registrants, about 58 per cent were women, while 50,429 were youths between the ages of 18 and 34, making up 48 per cent of the new voters.
On average, the commission has processed over 10,600 registrations per day since the exercise began.
In addition to new registrations, INEC said it recorded 12,595 requests for voter transfer, both within and outside Anambra.
The commission said it also received 7,061 requests for updates or replacement of damaged or lost Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Anambra Decides: Students Plan Mass Protests Against INEC is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
