By Awwal Umar Kontagora The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Niger State has commended the Fulani Youth Devel...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Niger State has commended the Fulani Youth Development Initiative/Fulani Youth Sai Bago Again Organisation for its efforts in raising awareness among Fulani herders on the importance of possessing voter ID cards.
The commendation was made by the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Ahmed Yusha'u Garki, during a courtesy visit by the leadership of the group to the commission's headquarters in Minna.
Garki praised the organization for taking proactive steps to engage Fulani communities on voter education and electoral participation. He emphasized that INEC remains committed to ensuring no Nigerian citizen is disenfranchised, regardless of ethnicity, gender, or location.
"As long as a person is 18 years of age and a citizen, there is no reason why they should not be registered as a voter,” he said.
He also clarified that while current registration activities are limited to local government areas and the state secretariat, the commission routinely inspects polling units and registration centers to ensure accessibility and inclusivity.
On the creation of additional polling units, Garki explained that such decisions are made at the national level based on recommendations from electoral stakeholders, political parties, national leaders, and NGOs, and are informed by national census data and voter population growth.
Earlier, the National President of the group, Ambassador Dr. Muhammad Mujahid Adam, outlined the challenges Fulani herdsmen face in acquiring voter cards. He cited the long distances between polling units and nomadic settlements, lack of timely information, and instances of harassment during registration processes.
Amb. Mujahid called for the creation of special constituencies or polling centers to accommodate the unique needs of herders and ensure their full inclusion in the electoral process. He affirmed the organisation’s readiness to collaborate with INEC to guarantee that Fulani communities are not left out in future elections.
“Our goal is to ensure that Fulani herdsmen are fully aware of their rights and responsibilities and can actively participate in electing leaders of their choice,” he stated.
The meeting was attended by male and female leaders of the organization, with INEC officials expressing appreciation for the group’s visit and reaffirming the commission’s openness to stakeholder engagement.
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