US embassy cable - 02ABUJA2675

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 002675 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
 
 
E.O.12958: DECL: 07/30/12 
TAGS: PGOV, SOCI, KDEM, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: VOTER REGISTRATION BEGINS SLOWLY 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASADOR HOWARD F.JETER. REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
 
1. (C) Summary: Voter registration began in Abuja 
September 12 with little fanfare and not much of a 
turnout. Previously postponed in July and August, 
there was ample speculation the exercise would be 
cancelled once more because of INEC's unpreparedness 
and the injunction sought by unregistered political 
parties. However, the lawsuit was decided in INEC's 
favor, allowing registration to proceed. Poloff 
observed registration at three local centers.  The 
centers had sufficient registration materials but only 
small numbers of people were queued to register. The 
centers were poorly identified and difficult to 
locate. On one level of analysis, that registration 
began at all is welcome news. Yet, judging by what we 
saw in Abuja, INEC was not fully prepared; a 
significant portion of the first day and perhaps of 
the next few days of this ten-day exercise will likely 
be devoted  to concluding what should have been pre- 
September 12 preparations. While some of the signs are 
positive, this first day provided no clear indication 
whether INEC can pull off a credible registration 
exercise.   End Summary. 
 
 
2. (C) For ten days (September 12-21), voter 
registration is scheduled to take place  in  120,000 
centers throughout Nigeria. Centers are expected to 
register 50 people a day for the entire period. Most 
are open-air centers with no shelter. Poloff observed 
the voter registration process at three centers in 
Abuja.  There were no signs identifying the centers to 
the general public. The sites  could only be picked 
out by the small cluster of people gathered to 
register. 
 
 
3. (C) The first center was inside a school compound; 
once on campus, it took three inquiries to locate the 
correct building. There were three registering 
officials and representatives of the PDP and ANPP 
present. At 1515, 24 people had been registered and 
the process was taking 15 minutes per applicant. Only 
three voters were waiting in line.  Poloff noticed 
posters advertising the registration lying on the 
floor but none had been displayed around the 
neighborhood. The other centers visited had registered 
45 and 112 people respectively. These two were easier 
to find, because they were outside, but they were 
likewise unmarked. A British High Commission (BHC) 
Poloff found two out of three centers visited closed 
due to rain, and the one that was open had relocated 
to a nearby shelter. As with one of the sites observed 
by Poloff, BHC Poloff found only two of the required 
three officials present. 
 
 
4. (C) Although political party observers were mostly 
pleased with the process there were complaints from 
registrants that the centers were difficult to find. 
They groused that a list of registration centers was 
not available to the general public. The presiding 
officials appeared to be conscientious; however, 
inadequate infrastructure and equipment made it a very 
difficult process. Information was first recorded 
manually and then transferred to a computer readable 
form.  Registrants were required to leave thumbprints 
and then the thumb was marked with indelible ink (to 
prevent multiple registrations).  A temporary card was 
issued at the end of the process. (Note: INEC 
guidelines originally required that the temporary 
cards be laminated prior to issuance. Amended 
requirements deleted this step.  Temporary cards 
looked flimsy and easily damaged. End note.) 
 
 
5.(C) Poloff asked when permanent cards would be 
issued. The officials replied only that there would be 
an announcement when the cards were ready. 
 
 
6.(U) Efforts to promote voter registration varied 
across the country.  Media coverage was sparse as talk 
of the presidential impeachment dominated the press. 
Only a few radio advertisements promoting registration 
were broadcast this week.  In Kano and Plateau States 
September 12 and 13 were declared public holidays and 
turnout appeared to be above the rate required per 
polling sites. Turnout in Kaduna was reported as poor. 
The Governor of Katsina  visited several centers to 
encourage participation in his state. 
 
 
7. (C) Some governors reportedly threatened to 
withhold salaries from civil servants who do not 
register. (Note: Some of these states are already in 
arrears of salary payments. The threat, to some 
degree, is empty posturing for political purposes. 
However, many governors want to maximize the number of 
registered voters in their states. A larger pool of 
voters translates into more political clout and the 
potential for a larger share of federal funds down the 
road. End Note.)  Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Edo and Bayelsa 
States issued threats that September wages would be 
paid upon presentation of a voter card.  The Nasarawa 
State Governor purportedly told citizens that cards 
would be required for medical treatment and school 
admission.  Governor Ahmed Mu'azu of Bauchi State 
ordered senior government officials to return to their 
places of origin in order to "aggressively mobilize 
citizens to register." 
 
 
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Comment 
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8.(C) The long awaited registration exercise was 
greeted with relief. Its start was uncertain as late 
as September 11. While our sampling of stations in 
Abuja was not scientific we believe it was 
sufficiently reflective of what happened in most of 
Northern Nigeria. It showed that registration has 
begun slowly and that INEC was not fully prepared. 
Nevertheless, it was encouraging that centers were 
open and that forms were available. The initial low 
turnout was expected;  the turnout should rise over 
the weekend and accelerate as the ten days progress. 
Hopefully, information about the registration centers 
will be better disseminated and their locations better 
identified. 
 
 
9.  (C) Given that ten days is a minimally adequate 
time period to conduct registration in Nigeria, each 
day it appears the pace of registration has been 
slowed by INEC's lack of preparation lessens the 
possibility that the exercise will be viewed as 
successful by most Northern Nigerians. Many 
Northerners already suspect INEC of trying to minimize 
the numbers of voters registered in the North due to 
the strong opposition to President Obasanjo that comes 
from this region of the country. 
JETER