Some voters in Gwarinpa Estate polling units have lamented being disenfranchised over the incoherence of their registrations by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
They lamented the situation while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.
The alleged disenfranchised voters said that on getting to their polling units, their names were not found on the voters register as indicated on their cards, neither could the card readers verify their names.
The voters at the Gwarinpa Model School Polling Unit 024 said that they registered and collected their voter cards at the unit but unfortunately, they were unable to vote.
Mr Steven Alichebe, who lamented the situation, told NAN that he had been on the queue since 6 a.m. and when it finally got to his turn at past 3 p.m, he could not be accredited as his my name was neither on the voters register or could be verified by the card reader.
“When it got to my turn, I was told my centre was at Gishiri village, in Maitama District which is surprising.
“Now, how can I get to Maitama at this time, there is no movement.
“I have been voting here. I voted here in 2011, 2015 and I collected my Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) and now they said my name is not here.
“It is so sad that as a citizen, INEC has disenfranchised me,” Alichebe said.
Similarly, Mr Mattew Adamu, a business man said the situation was very sad as he could not exercise his right as a citizen to elect leaders.
Adamu called on INEC to improve on the process to make it seamless to avoid such lapses that could disenfranchise citizens.
Mrs Jennifer Emekwe, who faced a similar ordeal, told NAN that the card reader verified her name and accepted her fingers print but she was unable to vote as her name was not on the register.
She also called on INEC to improve on voter registration to make it possible for voters to transfer their registrations without any hitch.
“I left my home in Nyanya since 6 a.m, all the way to Gwarinpa to vote because I registered in Setraco but I was told my name was not on the voter register.
“I went to Kado Biko Polling Unit, the card reader verified my name and accepted my finger print but I was told by the officials that my name was not on the register.
“I see that as a deliberate act to disenfranchise me,” Emekwe said.
