The City Boy Movement (CBM) has dismissed stories suggesting that its ongoing membership registration train is linked to or interferes with Nigeria’s electoral course of, insisting that the train is completely voluntary and separate from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) statutory voter registration.
The Movement mentioned its registration was strictly for constructing its membership database, strengthening its organisational constructions and coordinating actions, stressing that its membership kinds and playing cards may neither confer voting rights nor function substitutes for official INEC voter registration paperwork.
In a press release by its Deputy Director-General, Media, Communication and Public Affairs, O’tega Ogra, CBM mentioned registration was open to present members and Nigerians prepared to affix the organisation voluntarily.
It disclosed that people may register bodily or by way of its official web site, www.cbmnigeria.org.
The Movement harassed that its membership registration and INEC’s voter registration served completely different functions, noting that the electoral fee remained constitutionally liable for registering eligible voters and sustaining the nationwide register of voters.
According to CBM, registration with the organisation doesn’t confer voting eligibility, amend anybody’s particulars in INEC’s register or substitute any requirement prescribed by the electoral fee.
It additionally defined that its membership kinds and playing cards weren’t electoral registration paperwork or substitutes for Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
“The existence of a membership register does not, by itself, establish interference with or manipulation of the electoral register,” the assertion mentioned.
CBM additional maintained that participation in its actions was completely voluntary, including that people remained free to say no membership, withdraw from the organisation or train unbiased political and electoral selections.
It mentioned no Nigerian was being coerced or compelled to register with the Movement, insisting that it neither impersonated INEC nor misrepresented the aim of its registration train.
The organisation additionally rejected strategies that its actions interfered with the electoral rights of Nigerians, sustaining that its operations had been performed throughout the framework of relevant legal guidelines.
On considerations surrounding the gathering of private info throughout registration, CBM mentioned defending members’ information remained an essential obligation of the organisation.
It assured Nigerians that non-public info collected in the course of the train can be processed pretty, lawfully and transparently, with acceptable safeguards in opposition to unauthorised entry, use or disclosure.
The Movement added that members of the general public taking part within the train would obtain info from its officers concerning how their private information had been processed and their relevant privateness rights.
It additionally maintained that any consent required below the legislation can be freely given, particular and knowledgeable.
CBM mentioned it welcomed respectable enquiries, lawful criticism and evidence-based scrutiny of its actions, urging anybody with particular considerations or proof of misconduct to report by way of its verified official communication channels.
It pledged to evaluate complaints pretty and cooperate with lawful investigations whereas respecting the rights of complainants and people in opposition to whom allegations is likely to be made.
