Contrary to widespread media reports that persons below the statutory age of 18 years voted in the February 10, Kano state local government elections, conducted by the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), facts emerged yesterday that under-age children did not vote at all. Blueprint exclusively gathered in Abuja yesterday, that the committee set up the national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and headed by a national Commissioner, Nahuche Abubakar, had submitted its report, meant to put the controversy over the conduct of the election to an end in which it stated in its findings that under-age children did not vote.
Credible sources close to the Commission also told our correspondent that contrary to the widely circulated reports and photos of under-age kids on the social media, the committee found that under-age persons did not vote. According to the source, the committee’s said it thoroughly analysed the purported pictures and video clips only to discover that majority of them predated the February 10, elections.
The Blueprint source revealed that in view of the findings INEC had done the needful by conducting investigation, stressing that INEC promised to make the outcome of the investigation public, among other efforts to restore the credibility of the Commission under the leadership of Prof. Yakubu.
Some of the committee’s findings, according to the source, are: That formal request and approval for release of register was done accordingly and KANSIEC printed the soft copy issued by INEC; that the Voter Register was sighted on the Election Day, as affirmed by majority of stakeholders who witnessed only voting without accreditation.
The source further disclosed that the committee made a fourpoint recommendations which include: “That the Commission should carry out manual check of the Voter Register of the remaining 38 LGAs in Kano state and remove under aged, multiple registrations and deceased persons; that the Commission should take prompt disciplinary measures against staff who commit registration offences and names of such staff should be circulated among INEC offices nationwide to create awareness and serve as deterrence; strengthening and ensuring the overall independence of SIECs through the review of their enabling laws to empower them to conduct elections that meet minimum standards.”
Blueprint recalls that the INEC chairman had set up the investigation committee with the following terms of reference: Investigate the widespread report that persons below the statutory age of 18 years voted using INEC’s register; ascertain if the Voter Register requested by the Kano state Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC); engage stakeholders on issues related to the use of the voter register in the election.
The source further disclosed that in a matter of days, the report “will be formally made public.
