The Independent National Electoral Commission has accused Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State of double registration in the ongoing voter registration started by the commission on April 27, 2017.

The INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Solomon Soyebi, said in a statement on Thursday that the governor registered as a voter for the second time at the Government House, Lokoja, on Tuesday, May 23, 2017.

Soyebi said that the Kogi Governor had earlier carried out his first registration as a voter on January 30, 2011, at Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.

Soyebi said that the governor’s decision to register twice and to do the registration in an undesignated area were a violation of the law.

He stressed that the commission had a designated centre for the ongoing voter registration in all the 774 local government areas, including the Federal Capital territory.

Soyebi said that the commission had commenced disciplinary action against the INEC members of staff involved in the illegal registration of the governor for the second time.

He stated that the commission had to take a decision to void the second registration and could not commence legal action against him because of the immunity clause for governors in the constitution.

He said, “It has come to the attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission that Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, registered as a voter for the second time on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at the Government House, Lokoja, the state capital. His first registration was on January 30, 2011, in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.

“The governor’s double registration and doing so outside a designated centre of lNEC are both illegal. For the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration, INEC has designated a centre in each of the country’s 774 Local Government Areas, including FCT’s six area councils.

All attempts to speak with Bello’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, proved abortive as he did not respond to telephone calls.

Efforts to get his Special Adviser on New Media, Mr Gbenga Olorunponmi, also proved abortive.Punch