The coalition of INEC accredited observer groups has described the allegation of double registration against the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, as malicious.
The leader of one of the groups, Romanus Azubuike made this known in a press conference on Tuesday, in Lokoja.
The group wondered how Governor would have been registered twice in the state government house at a time he was out of the country.
“Government House is never a registration centre, therefore the INEC officials that claimed to have taken the registration material/machines to Kogi State Government House should come out openly and explain to Nigerians and Kogi people why the commission moved the registration centre to Government House against the official and publicly known venue for registration which is at the LGA headquarters of INEC.
“By INEC explanation before the commencement of the exercise that the centres and machines are customized and immovable, it is therefore an indictment on INEC to have announced the movement and registration of persons in an unauthorized registration centre (Government House).
“The allegation is fallacious, malicious, borne out of envy and sheer jealousy from Governor Bello’s detractors who still nurse anger against the Governor’s emergence as the executive governor of the state and his continuous legal victories”, the groups said.
The coalition also accused INEC in Kogi State of extortion by frustrated registrants in the ongoing continuous voter registration. They alleged that they had observed that INEC’s officials and security personnel deployed to the single registration centre in the state were demanding money from registrants who had become frustrated as a result of long wait in the queue.
The groups called for disciplinary action against the officials involved in the alleged illegal practice.
“Extortion and collection of other valuables from frustrated registrants by INEC registration officers and security personnel as was the case in Yagba-East, Idah, and Lokoja local government areas should be immediately stopped and such officers sanctioned accordingly,” the groups said.
