CVR: INEC registers 20,204 voters in Ondo
No fewer than 20, 204 eligible voters have been registered in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise currently being conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ondo state.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr. Mutiu Agboke, made the disclosure on Wednesday at a stakeholders meeting held at the Alagbaka office of the commission in Akure.
He said INEC in the state has distributed 2, 966 Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to registered voters across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state in the ongoing exercise.
Mr. Agboke also explained that the commission had also recorded a total of 1,112 Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) through interstate transfer and another 1,830 through intrastate transfer.
He said the electoral commission also recorded 1, 669 for the defaced Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and a total 1, 223 for misplaced cards.
He stated that although the Continuous Voters’ Registration (CVR) exercise was still ongoing across various designated areas of the state noting that its major importance is to create a bedrock for the conduct of credible elections..
The REC noted that the mission of the commission is to serve as an independent and effective election management body which is committed to the conduct of free and fair elections to sustained the Nigeria’s democracy.
Mr. Agboke said the commission will continue to engage the various stakeholders which included the civil society organisations, political parties, media, security agencies and both the religious and traditional leaders in the electoral process of the state.
He reiterated that the commission has created six additional centres in the state to minimize the hardship faced by eligible registrants and to decongest the registration centres in some areas of the state.
Fatai Adams, Chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) said they would continue to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in its quest to ensure credible elections.
Mr. Adams who also doubles as the Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic also asked the commission to play a transparency and open policy with all the political parties in the state.
“All political parties in the state should be given equal treatment and a free level playing ground in the electoral system.
“I will advise the electoral commission to remain an unbiased umpire and refused to be arm twist mostly by the ruling political party in the state” he said.
Abayomi Adesanya, the state Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) called on the commission to decentralized some centres in the state for the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise.
Adesanya said that decentralizing the centres would help those in the rural and local areas to actively participate in the ongoing exercise in the state.
