The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is to prosecute 72 out of some 93,000 cases of double registration recorded in 2011 in Anambra.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukogu, made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen in Awka on Saturday.
He said that the prosecution would serve as a deterrent to other intending electoral offenders in the state.
Onukaogu said that INEC was determined to make election a process in Nigeria and not an event.
He said that the commission was able to detect the fraud during the data consolidation process, finding people with multiple registrations.
“We have their names, pictures, addresses and gradually all of them will be caught and prosecuted but we are starting with 72 persons. The state police command had been notified.
The commissioner said that INEC had improved over the years, noting that loopholes of yesteryears had been plugged.
He warned voters to desist from violating electoral laws.
Onukaogu also disclosed that 50 wards in the state recorded zero in the direct data capturing machine during the consolidation process, saying that the wards would be re-registered.
The commissioner said that the affected wards were in Awka South Local Government Area with 34 wards; Nnewi South with five wards; Nnewi North four; Idemili North two ; Ayamelum two and Ihiala two.
He said that electorate in the affected wards would be re-captured, urging voters to avail themselves of the opportunity to re-register.
The commissioner said that the commission had embarked on pasting of registered voters’ names in all the 4,608 polling units in the state.
Onukaogu said that the exercise would end on Aug. 18, to ensure that eligible voters were not denied their rights to vote.
He advised eligible voters to go to their respective polling units to check their names and report any anomaly to the electoral officers in their areas for necessary action.
Onukaogu said that the continuous voter registration exercise would commence in the state on Aug. 19 and end on Aug. 25.
He urged every eligible voter to participate in the exercise. [NAN]
Inec