Females top registration list as INEC suspends CVR in Ekiti, Osun

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended its ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Ekiti and Osun ahead of the forthcoming governorship elections in both states.

According to official data released on Thursday in Abuja by the commission for Week One of Phase III of the nationwide exercise, the suspension is in line with Section 9 (6) of the Electoral Act 2022.

The data, which captures registration statistics as of May 15, reveals that a total of 149,833 citizens completed their registration across the country during the first week of the current phase.

Of this figure, 94,361 voters completed their pre-registration online, while 55,472 opted for physical registration.

INEC, however, noted that those figures remained preliminary, pending a comprehensive data clean-up during the upcoming claims and objections window, which would be followed by the deployment of the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).

A review of the state performance shows that Kano State recorded the highest number of total registrants in week one, with 13,569 individuals representing 9.06 per cent of the national total.

This was closely followed by Sokoto State with 9,639, representing 6.43 per cent of the total number of the new registrants, and Lagos State with 9,206, representing 6.14 per cent.

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Conversely, Ebonyi State recorded the lowest turnout for the week with only 601 registrants, representing 0.40 per cent, followed by Akwa Ibom State with 976 representing 0.65 per cent.

Demographic indicators from the week-one report shows that youth between the ages of 18 and 34 dominated the exercise, accounting for 106,836 registrants, representing 71.30 per cent of the total turnout.

While the middle-aged citizens between 35 and 49 years old accounted 30,219, representing for 20.17 per cent of the total number, the elderly between 50 and 69 years recorded 11,617 registrants, representing 7.75 per cent of the total number.

The gender distribution showed a higher turnout among women, with females at 78,317 making up 52.27 per cent of the total registrants compared to males, who accounted for 71,516 representing 47.73 per cent.

In terms of occupational distribution, students led the registration with 36,676 registrants, making up 24.48 per cent of the weekly total.

This is followed by business owners and housewives accounting for31,365, representing 20.93 per cent and 28,191  showing 18.81 per cent respectively, while farmers and fishermen constituted 7,914 making up 18.63 per cent.

INEC also recorded 2,759 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) who completed their registration within the week.

INEC urged eligible citizens in the non-affected states to utilise its online portals or visit designated physical registration centres to register before the phase concludes.