The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ordered its electoral officers to continue with their Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) across the country. This prolongation was formally declared on Friday, following discussions about certain concerns with regards to the exercise, as well as other emergent issues ahead of the 2023 general elections.
In its most recent statement signed by Festus Okoye, its spokesperson, the commission did not specify when the exercise will officially come a halt. “The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will continue nationwide, and all the Resident Electoral Commissioners and Electoral Officers have been directed to continue with the exercise pending further directives from the Commission. The Commission has consistently reiterated its resolve to continue to provide electoral services to the Nigerian people and register all eligible Nigerians that are interested in registering. The Commission has yet again deployed additional machines to areas of pressure and will continue to serve the people of Nigeria,” Okoye said.
The prolongation was originally hinted at by the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, during the Youth Vote Count concert held in Abuja on Saturday . “The youth want to know when the registration will end. I want to assure you on behalf of the commission that the registration won’t end on June 30. For as long as we have you people trying to register, we will continue to register you,” Yakubu declared.
He further stated that since it opened to registrants on June 20, 14,000 people had registered at the concert location. “In the last five days, we have registered over 14,000 Nigerians in this place alone. We have about 50 voter registration machines. For as long as you people have been trying to register to obtain your PVC, we will continue to register you and we will continue to make sure that you get your PVC,” the INEC chairman said.
