CVR: INEC registers over 3 million fresh voters

*To display names of registered voters nationwide Friday
Tunde Opalana, Abuja
As the first quarter of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) ends today, Tuesday, 21st September, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has added over three million people to the Nigerian voters register.
The Commission resumed the Continuous Voter Registration on 28th June 2021and has since then been giving weekly updates of both the online preregistration and the physical completion of registration by voters.
National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye, in a statement on Monday, said at the end of the 12th week and the cumulative figures for the CVR exercise from inception show that the number of fresh online pre-registrants stands at 3,165,189 while 1,457,766 Nigerians applied for voter transfer, replacement of PVCs and update of their voter information records.
“Completed registrations now stands at 1,081,947 voters.
Youths between the ages of 18 and 34 still constitute the majority with 771,770 (71.33%) completed registration. In terms of occupation, students form the largest category with 439,608 (40.63%).
On gender distribution, 555,872 (51.38%) are male and 526,075 (48.62%) are female.
“Detailed figures for Week 12 as of 7am today Monday 20th September 2021 have been uploaded to the Commission’s website and social media platforms for public information”, Okoye stated .
He said the Commission will display voters register for claims and objections within a week as provided by Section 19 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), which mandated INEC “to publish the register of voters for a period of not less than 5 days and not more than 14 days for public scrutiny during which citizen may make claims and objections”.
The National Commissioner said “in compliance with the law, the register of new voters will be displayed in the Local Government offices of the Commission nationwide from 24th – 30th September 2021.
“The aim is to enable citizens assist the Commission by identifying ineligible registrants on the list ahead of the cleaning up of the register before adding the fresh registrants to the current register and the printing of their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for future elections.
“For clarity, ineligible registrants include foreigners and Nigerians below the age of 18.
Nigerians should also assist the Commission to identify multiple registrants and deceased persons so that they can be removed from the register”.
The Commission, therefore, appealed to Nigerians for sustained cooperation and support in the determination to conduct free and fair elections of which a credible register of voters is the foundation.
The Second Quarter of the exercise, he added, “begins on 4th October 2021 and ends on 20th December 2021.
Further details will be announced by the Commission before the commencement of the exercise”.