Khadijat Yusuf
Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the resumption of its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Edo and Ondo States, ahead of the upcoming governorship elections.
The exercise, which will begins on May 27 and ends on June 5, aims to enable eligible citizens who are not registered voters to do so, as well as allow existing voters to transfer their registration to new locations.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the announcement at a quarterly consultative meeting with political parties, emphasizing the importance of maintaining law and order during the electioneering process.
"The CVR is only open to new registrants and those who seek to transfer their registration. Persons who are registered as voters should not attempt to register again, as double or multiple registration is illegal," Prof. Yakubu warned.
The CVR exercise will take place at Ward level and State headquarters, with 397 walk-in registration centers available in both states. The Commission has urged political parties and stakeholders to mobilize prospective registrants to take advantage of the exercise.
In addition to voter registration, the Commission will also make available uncollected Permanent Voters' Cards (PVCs) for collection during the CVR.
The announcement comes as INEC prepares for the Edo and Ondo State governorship elections, scheduled for September 21 and November 16, respectively. The Commission has already published the final list of candidates for the Edo State Governorship election and has reminded political parties to adhere to the timeline for the upload of polling and collation agents.
The Commission has also announced plans to conduct bye-elections in several constituencies across the country, following the existence of vacancies in National and State Assemblies caused by either death or resignation of Honourable Members.
The National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and Allied People's Movement (APM), Yusuf Dantalle, called for the restoration of annual subventions to political parties, which was cancelled by the National Assembly.
Dantalle emphasized that the restoration of subventions is crucial for political parties to effectively mobilize citizens and deepen democracy in Nigeria. He recalled that the 2003 general election had the highest voters' turnout because INEC released funds to political parties for voter education and mobilizations.
The meeting also discussed other critical electoral issues, including the need for political parties to adhere to democratic ideals and ethics, and the importance of maintaining an updated register of voters in real-time. Dantalle also called for concerted effort by all stakeholders to address the low voters' turnout in recent elections and ensure successful polls.
The meeting was a crucial step towards ensuring successful elections in Nigeria. With the 2023 general election having the lowest voters' turnout, stakeholders are working together to identify and address the challenges. The restoration of subventions to political parties is seen as a key step towards deepening democracy and ensuring successful polls.
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