Nigeria targets 70m voters in fresh registration

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is targeting 70 million voters in its planned fresh voter registration exercise, after the government acceded to the commission's de mand for 72 billion naira (about US$500 million) to compile a new electoral register ahead of 2011 polls.

INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega told journalists in Abuja Wednesday that the fresh registration could be carried out in Africa's most populous nation of 150 million between the last week of October and the first week of November, if the required funds were released on time.

Elections are expected to be held in January 2011 following recent amendments to the federal Constitution by the legislature.

Opposition parties and Civil Society Organisations have said nothing short of a fresh voters' register will ensure the success of next year's polls.

The existing register is believed to be massively flawed due to multiple registration, under-age registration and presence of foreign names.

Nigeria has a long history of flawed elections, but President Goodluck Jonathan has promised that the 2011 polls will be free, fair, credible and transparent - a tall order in a country where politicians engage in do-or-die tussle for elective posts.