By Balarabe Oshiafi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed to members of the fourth estate of the realm to help in mobilizing voters to excercise their franchise during elections.
This appeal also includes the press sensitizing new voters who have reached voting age to seize the opportunity that Edo and Ondo governorship elections present to come out and have their first voting experience by registering to secure their permanent voters card (PVC) so they can vote in the Edo and Ondo States’ governorship elections and subsequent elections.
Speaking in the conference room of INEC headquarters on Wednesday in Abuja while welcoming members of INEC press corp to the second regular quarterly consultative meeting the Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu said, “we would like to further inform you that with the exception of two State Assembly constituencies in Enugu and Kano States disrupted by violence and thuggery, winners have emerged in 45 out of 47 constituencies.
“Following extensive consultation with stakeholders in the two States, the Commission is remobilising to conclude the outstanding re-run elections in Enugu South 1 State Constituency of Enugu State and Ghari (formerly known as Kunchi Local Government Area) for the Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency of Kano State. We similarly briefed you on the forthcoming off-cycle Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.
“Early this week, the Commission announced the plan to resume the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) as part of our preparations for the Edo and Ondo State Governorship elections. As you are aware, the Edo State Governorship election is holding in the next four months on Saturday 21st September 2024 while the Ondo Governorship election holds in the next six months on Saturday 16th November 2024.
” The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in the two States will enable eligible citizens who are not registered voters to do so. Similarly, registered voters also have the opportunity to transfer their registration from other States of the Federation to Edo and Ondo States or from one location to another within the States. Lost or damaged voters’ cards will be replaced during the exercise.
“The CVR will take place simultaneously in the two States from Monday 27th May 2024 to Wednesday 5th June 2024 from 9.00am to 3.00pm daily including the weekend. Let me reiterate that 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.
“Taking into consideration the limited time to the Governorship elections, the Commission has decided to conduct the registration at Ward level and our State headquarters instead of our Local Government offices and a few designated centers as was the case in the past.
“This means that there will be 192 Ward registration centres in Edo State and 203 centres in Ondo State in addition to our State offices in Benin City and Akure, making a total of 397 walk-in registration centres in the two States. There will be no online pre-registration option in the two States because of time constraint.
“Each centre will be managed by two officials drawn from our regular staff and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). In the next few days, the Commission will commence the training of at least 794 officials for the exercise. The locations of the registration centres as well as other relevant information have been compiled in a detailed 28-page document included in your folders for this meeting. The same information has already been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information.
“The Commission therefore appeals to the media to join us in mobilising prospective registrants for the exercise, particularly on the need to register early and not wait until the deadline approaches when the registration centres will be inundated by eleventh hour registrants.”
