The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Edo and Ondo states to 9 June.
The commission had earlier set Wednesday, 5 June 2024, as the closing date for the registration exercise, which started on 27 May 2024.
During the period, the registration exercise recorded significant progress, with 120,458 new voters registered.
Earlier, the exercise suffered some hitches in Edo State, as flood, on Friday, 25 May ravaged the state headquarters of the electoral commission, leaving equipment and materials needed for the registration damaged.
INEC, not deterred by calls for postponement of the exercise, moved its logistics to Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area office located at 16, Custom Road, off Benin/Auchi Road, Benin City, where the exercise had continued unhindered.
In a statement announcing the extension of the registration to 9 June, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, on Tuesday, said the commission also extended the registration period from 9 am to 5 pm.
The CVR aims to prepare for the upcoming governorship elections in Edo State on 21 September 2024, and in Ondo State on 16 November 2024.
In the statement, Olumekun also announced the increase in the number of registration centres, to include all 36 local government offices in the two states, supplementing the existing 397 wards and the state offices in Benin City and Akure.
“The commission met today, Tuesday, 4th June, 2024. Among other matters, the meeting reviewed the ongoing CVR in Edo and Ondo states scheduled to end tomorrow, Wednesday, 5th June, 2024.
“However, following appeals by stakeholders, the commission has approved the extension of the exercise from Thursday, 6th to Sunday, 9th June 2024, to enable more eligible persons to register.
“Similarly, the duration of the exercise is extended from 9.00 am – 5.00 pm daily
“Furthermore, the number of centres has been increased beyond the 397 wards and the two-state offices in Benin City and Akure to include all the 36 local government offices of the commission in the two states”, the statement read.
Olumekun said INEC was deploying additional registration machines to areas with challenging terrains or communal issues to facilitate the process.
“More machines will also be deployed to areas identified to have peculiar needs such as difficult terrain or communal issues.
“Like the ward registration centres, detailed information on the names and location, addresses of the LGA offices have also been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for the guidance of registrants in the two states”, Olumekun said.
Speaking on the 120,458 new voters, the electoral body said the figures were preliminary, adding that the final statistics would be released after the completion of the exercise and a data clean-up using the Automated Biometric Identification System.
“Meanwhile, the exercise is progressing well in the two states. As of yesterday, Monday, 3rd June 2024, eight days after the commencement of the CVR, a cumulative total of 120,458 new voters have registered.
“Of this figure, 55,861 (46.4 per cent) are male while 64,597 (53.6 per cent) are female. The majority of the registered voters (82,003 or 68.8 per cent) are youths (18 -34 years). In terms of occupation, 43,419 or 36.8 per cent) are students while 812 (0.67 per cent) are persons with disability.
“The public should please note that these are preliminary figures. The final figures will be published on a state basis and for all categories of registrants at the end of the exercise and after data clean-up using the Automated Biometric Identification System”, Olumekun said.
The commission urged all eligible voters to take advantage of the extension to register, transfer, or correct their personal information on their Permanent Voter Cards, adding that no further extensions would be granted.
“The commission once again appeals to eligible voters to seize the opportunity of the extension to register, transfer or correct personal information on their PVCs as provided by law. No further extension will be granted by the commission”, the statement read.
