The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced an eight-member committee headed by a National Commissioner, Abubakar Nahuche, to probe underage voting in the recently concluded local government elections in Kano.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, announced this in Abuja on Wednesday during a meeting with the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria.
Other members of the committee include: National Commissioner, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu; the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Mike Ingini; Adamawa State REC, Kassim Geidam; Mr. Yakubu Duku of the Electoral Operations Department, Mrs. Rukayat Bello of the Voter Registry Department, Mr.Paul Omokore of the ICT Department and Mr. Jude Okwuonu.
The INEC chairman said the committee is expected to submit its report in two weeks.
Recall that INEC chairman Professor Yakubu had on Friday noted that a panel has been set up to investigate the alleged issue of underage registration and voting in Kano State during a workshop in Lagos attended by leading senior members of staff of the commission at a retreat on the 2019 election project implementation.
The decision to investigate the issue came after pictures of underaged voters in Kano State were circulated on social media recently.
The images show children participating in the local council elections conducted across Kano State last weekend and sparked reactions from Nigerians with many blaming the electoral umpire for irregularities.
The INEC boss during the workshop said he believes that the commission’s register is not compromised. He is also optimistic that the disagreement over the sequence of the elections will be resolved.
He assured that the findings of the panel will be made public and assure Nigerians that the matter will be fully investigated.
