The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC says efforts are being made to ensure that Internally Displaced Persons IDPs in Niger Republic and Chad are allowed to cast their votes in next February general elections.
At the hours-long conference, which was jointly organized with the International Foundation for Electoral Support IFES, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, announced that, “IDPs in the neighbouring countries of Niger and Chad who left their abodes due to insurgency in the North East would not be denied their voting rights.”
According to Vanguard, the INEC Chairman who earlier launched the ‘Framework for Voting by Internally Displaced Persons IDPs’, said the framework is a policy document proposed to guide the conduct of IDP voting operations and bring the IDP communities into the voting net.
The report quoted a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Adamu Kamale, representing Michika/Madagali Federal Constituency of Adamawa state said most of those displaced in his area had since returned to their homes, saying what they need to be able to participate in the polls is enough security.
According to Kamale, 97 percent of IDPs in the state have since returned to their homes stressing the need to guarantee their security to enable them vote.
“I can confirm to you that 97 percent of IDPs in Adamawa have since returned home. But the only challenge they have is that of security. Their security needs to be guaranteed in order to enable them vote in the elections”.
