SAN FRANCISCO, December 14, (THEWILL) – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, was registered twice during the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise thereby violating the Electoral Act.

In a statement issued Thursday night by the Commission’s National Commissioner and Member, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, INEC said it has also ordered the compulsory retirement of an electoral officer involved in the illegal act for gross misconduct.

“Following reports of the alleged double registration by the governor of Kogi State in the on-going Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, the commission set up a panel of investigation into the involvement of staff in the matter,” the statement read.

“The initial report submitted by the panel was referred to the Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee, which made recommendations to the commission.

“While the governor of Kogi State currently enjoys immunity from prosecution, the commission took the following decisions in respect of its own staff: Summary dismissal of two staff for acts of gross misconduct, immediate and compulsory retirement of an electoral officer for acts of gross misconduct.”

INEC also said that it had registered 21 new associations that had fulfilled the constitutional requirements for registration as political parties which brings the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria to 67.

The names of the new political parties are, All Blending Party (ABP), All Grassroots Alliance (AGA), Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), Coalition for Change (C4C), Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN), Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP), Legacy Party of Nigeria (LPN), Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA), Modern Democratic Party (MDP), National Interest Party (NIP), National Rescue Mission (NRM), New Progressive Movement (NPM), Nigeria Democratic Congress Party (NDCP), People’s Alliance for National Development and Liberty (PANDEL), People’s Trust (PT), Providence People’s Congress (PPC), Re-Build Nigeria Party (RBNP), Restoration Party of Nigeria (RP), and Sustainable National Party (SNP).