The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Edo and Ondo States earlier scheduled to end on Wednesday, June 5 has been extended to Sunday June 9, 2024.
The exercise is to enable eligible citizens who have not registered to to do so, and also to give opportunity to those who had earlier registered but who want to transfer their voters’ cards from other states of the federation to Edo and Ondo States, or from one location to another within the two states ahead of the forthcoming governorship elections.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, said the extension was in consideration for appeals by stakeholders.
Olumekun also said the duration of the exercise has been extended to 9.00am – 5.00pm daily, while the centres have been increased above the 397 wards, including the state offices of the commission in Benin City and Akure as well as all the 36 local government offices of the Commission in the two states.
The INEC Commissioner further said that more machines will also be deployed to areas identified to have peculiar needs such as difficult terrain or areas with communal issues.
He also disclosed that so far, a total of 120,458 new voters have been registered as at Monday in the two states.
“Like the Ward registration centers, 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.
“Meanwhile, the exercise is progressing well in the two States. As at 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%) are male while 64,597 (53.6%) are female. Majority of the registered voters (82,003 or 68.8%) are youths (18 -34 years). In terms of occupation, 43,419 or 36.8%) are students while 812 (0.67%) are Persons with Disability (PWDs).
“The public should please note that these are preliminary figures. The final figures will be published on State by 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 (ABIS).
“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,” he added.