The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concern over the low turnout of residents for registration in the newly-created 1,750 polling units across the 34 local government areas of Katsina.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Jibril Zarewa, expressed the concern during a stakeholders’ meeting on Monday in Katsina.

“Out of the 1,750 newly-created polling units, we have not recorded a single voter registration at about 602 polling units. We have registered only 1,148 voters across the other polling units,” stated Mr Zarewa. “It is important to remind our stakeholders of the creation of additional polling units in Nigeria last year. Katsina State has 1,750 new polling units, bringing the total to 6,652.”

He added, “However, the commission recorded no voter in 602 out of the 1,750 newly created polling units.”

Mr Zarewa also recalled that the Continue Voter Registration (CVR)’s previous phases were not conducted in 17 LGAs affected by banditry due to the shut down of telecommunication networks.

“While registration was suspended in 17 LGAs, it has been observed with concern, the low registration in the newly-created polling units,” added the INEC commissioner. “The implication of this is that many polling units in the state may be poorly populated or not populated at all.”

He further warned that INEC would not conduct elections in polling units where voters had no registration.

Mr Zarewa appealed to the general public to intensify mobilisation and sensitisation for eligible voters to register or transfer to the newly-created polling units in the state.

(NAN)