INEC to end voter registration July 31

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that its ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will end on July 31, 2022.

INEC made this known via a statement issued by the commission’s National Commissioner And Chairman, Information And Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, on Friday.

The latest development comes barely two days after the Federal High Court dismissed a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) which was seeking an extension of voter registration.

Okoye, however, said with the court’s judgement, all legal encumbrances about CVR have now been removed.

He stated: “The CVR is hereby extended for another two weeks until Sunday 31st July 2022, thereby bringing the total duration of the extension to 31 days (1st – 31st July 2022).

“The exercise has also been extended to eight hours daily from 9.00am – 5.00 pm instead of the current duration of six hours (9.00 am – 3.00 pm) daily.

“The exercise is also extended to include weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) as against only weekdays.”

Okoye added that INEC was required to “Clean-up of the register to remove multiple registrants using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).

“Consolidate the national register of voters (existing voters and new registrants) and display same on Polling Unit basis for each of the 8,809 Registration Areas (Wards) across the 774 Local Government Areas nationwide for public scrutiny. This lasts for a period of one week. On the basis of a new projection of 95 million voters, on the basis of 10 voters per page, the Commission has to print 9,500,000 pages for the display.

“Print millions of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for all fresh registrants and applicants for transfer and replacement of lost or damaged PVCs.

“Ensure that there is ample time for voters to collect their PVCs ahead of the 2023 general election.”

He further stated that the commission was required to print the final register of voters in triplicate for the 2023 general election involving a projected 28,500,000 pages for accreditation and display at 176,846 polling units for national elections (Presidential and National Assembly) on February 25, 2023, and state elections (Governorship and State Assembly) on March 11, 2023.

Okoye noted that INEC would also make copies of the updated national register of voters available to political parties not later than 30 days to the date fixed for the 2023 general election.

The Star