Fulani nomads have called on the government to provide special voter registration sites for them, fearing that they will be locked out of future elections as in past years. Alhaji Mohammed Gashash, a spokesman for the pastoralists, claimed that in 1999 millions of Fulanis were unable to vote due to travel restrictions on election day, preventing them from coming from their settlements into nearby towns or villages. A spokesman for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stated this past week that provisions would be made to ensure that all Nigerian residents would have access to voter registration sites. INEC did not specifically address the Fulanis’ request for special registration centers, raising concerns that 1999’s disenfranchisement might be repeated.
