About three million Internally Displaced Persons would participate in the 2023 general elections, the apex electoral body, Independent National Electoral Commission has said.
This was disclosed by INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakoub in Abuja during a stakeholders’ meeting on the 2022 Revised Framework and Regulations for Voting by IDPs.
The commission added that it will display voter register across the country once it completes the ongoing Automated Biometric Identification System to weed out all double/multiple as well as ineligible registrants.
Yakubu explained that the revised framework had taken into consideration several developments since the last review and validation in 2018.
He said, “The policy was to ensure that no eligible Nigerian is left out of the electoral process on account of displacement, disability or other circumstances that may limit citizens’ participation in the electoral process.
“One of such developments is the increased number of IDPs as a result of widespread insecurity nationwide.
“Secondly, to incorporate not only the displaced citizens arising from armed conflicts but also natural emergencies such as flooding.
“Thirdly, to align the framework with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, specifically Section 24(1) which empowers the Commission to ensure that, as far as practicable, no Nigerian is disenfranchised on account of displacement by emergencies.
“Finally, to align the framework with the national policy on internally displaced persons 2021”, he added
