He said 70 per cent of the voters in the state risk disenfranchisement if the electoral body goes ahead with the 2007 register for the election.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday at the conference room of the Protea Hotels, Ikeja, ahead of the election scheduled for next month, Ogboru said the 2006 registration exercise was massively condemned.
He quoted Professor Attahiru Jega as saying that the last voters’ register had zero-credibility, noting that the Federal Government had to approve N87 billion for fresh exercise.
Ogboru argued that one of the reasons given by the Court of Appeal that sacked Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan led-administration in the state was the non-provision of voter register during the last election. He expressed shock with recent media reports claiming that the electoral body would proceed with the scheduled election without displaying a credible voter register.
“Without a voter register, you cannot claim you have conducted an election at all. If I can remember clearly, the Court of Appeal said, that election without voter register smacks of a substantial due process deficit in electioneering,” he explained. Ogboru maintained that the new voter register should be displayed at least five days to the election date to afford electorate the opportunity to crosscheck their names and ensure maximum participation at the poll. He said there were cases where voters’ names appeared in constituencies outside their location, noting that prior display of the register would address such observable flaws.
The gubernatorial candidate noted that INEC was yet to inform him and his party officially of the date for the rerun, noting that a letter received recently only invited them to a meeting on January 3 for the display of the voter register, three days to the election. While condemning the arrangement, he called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega to guard against fire-brigade arrangements that could scuttle the free conduct of the exercise.
“In spite of our several demands and an order by the Court of Appeal in Benin on November 9, 2010, INEC still has not been able to give to us a voter register representing the 25 local governments in Delta State,” he said. He said several appeals made to the electoral body for the display of the register met an appalling silence; a situation he said could undermine the credibility of the exercise.
“Is that the job of INEC to continue to disenfranchise the people of Delta State having done so successfully for three and half years by installing an illegality called government? We believe that this new INEC is not in that business. That is why the entire nation applauded the appointment of Jega as the chairman. But unfortunately as we speak, not much has been done to show that INEC has turned a new leaf,” he said.
Ogboru noted if for any constraint, INEC decides to use the old register, they were duty bound to display them for public viewing and scrutiny in order to guarantee credible election. He alleged that reliable sources revealed to him of the acts of some inordinate individuals who besieged the electoral office seeking electoral favour. He urged the electoral body to protect its reputation and ensure that votes count in line with the promise of President Goodluck Jonathan
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