Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Edo and Ondo States scheduled to end on Wednesday, June 5, to Sunday, June 9, 2024.
The CVR enables eligible citizens who are not registered voters to do so and gives those who are registered voters the opportunity to transfer their registration 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 its Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, who disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, said the extension followed the appeals by stakeholders.
He also said the exercise is extended from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, and the number of centres has been increased beyond the 397 wards and the two-state offices in Benin City and Akure to include all 36 Local Government offices of the Commission in the two states.
Olumekun said more machines will also be deployed to areas with peculiar needs, such as difficult terrain or communal issues.
As of Monday, the INEC national commissioner said 120,458 new voters had registered in the two states.
“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.
“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%) are female. Most registered voters (82,003 or 68.8 per cent) are youths (18 -34). In terms of occupation, 43,419 36.8 per cent) are students, while 812 (0.67 per cent) are persons with disabilities (PWDs).
“The public should please note that these are preliminary figures. The final figures will be published state-by-state 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. The commission will grant no further extension,” he added.
