The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) began the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Edo State on Monday. This registration aims to include new voters ahead of the gubernatorial election in Edo on September 21.
The exercise, which includes both voter registration and Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection, is scheduled to run for ten days, from May 27 to June 5, 2024, from 9 am to 3 pm daily, including weekends.
This move comes despite calls from the state's acting All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman, Jarret Tenebe, on Friday to cancel the exercise due to damage to its secretariat and CVR materials and equipment.
In response, Timidi Wariowei, the head of Voters Education and Publicity for Edo INEC, stated that it is unfair to make such accusations against the electoral commission. Wariowei noted that a stakeholders meeting on May 16 at the INEC office in Benin addressed these issues.
The CVR exercise was observed in Oredo, Egor, and Ikpoba-Okha local government areas, where PVC collection was also ongoing.
Speaking at the Ikpoba-Okha registration area, Rhoda Gumus, the INEC National Commissioner for Edo, Delta, and Cross River, expressed satisfaction with the exercise and urged registrants to be patient, assuring them that everyone would be registered.
Gumus explained that due to a flood disaster at their head office on Friday, the state head office registration center was temporarily relocated to Ikpoba-Okha.
State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Anugbum Onuoha, reiterated that INEC is well-prepared for the exercise despite the flood damage to some equipment.
