The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a firm warning against underage voting and multiple registrations as the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise is set to begin in Kebbi State on August 18.
At a press briefing held Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Kebbi State, Abubakar Sarkin-Pawa-Dambo, stressed that the commission will not tolerate any form of illegal registration practices.
“INEC will not condone multiple registrations, registration by proxy, underage registration, or any other unlawful attempts to register as voters,” he warned.
The REC outlined the schedule for the CVR, noting that online pre-registration will open on August 18, followed by in-person registration starting August 25. He encouraged eligible Nigerians, especially those who recently turned 18 to take advantage of both options by registering online or visiting INEC offices in their respective local government areas.
In addition to first-time registrants, those who have lost or damaged their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), changed their addresses, or need corrections to personal details like name or date of birth are also eligible to register physically during the exercise.
The registration will be conducted daily from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., excluding weekends and public holidays, across all INEC area offices in Kebbi State.
Providing an overview of voter demographics ahead of the 2023 general elections, Sarkin-Pawa-Dambo revealed that INEC had registered 2,032,041 eligible voters in Kebbi, with males accounting for 54% (1,096,449) and females 46% (935,592).
Kebbi State comprises 225 Registration Areas (RAs) and 3,743 Polling Units, distributed across its three senatorial districts and nine federal constituencies.
He further noted that 1,847,752 PVCs have been collected so far, representing a 97% collection rate, and urged voters who have yet to pick up their cards to do so once the next collection schedule is announced.
