THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended in-person or physical registration of voters in Anambra.
This means that online pre-registration of voters in the state would continue.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this at the commission’s 3rd quarterly meeting with leaders of political parties today, in Abuja.
He said that the decision was to enable the commission to prepare for the state governorship election scheduled for Nov. 6.
This is just as he disclosed that 717, 947 Nigerians had so far participated in the nationwide physical registration at INEC state and local government offices, beginning from July 26.
“Today, it is exactly two months (or 60 days) to the election. As you are aware, the commission devolved the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) to the 326 Registration Areas, in addition to the 21 Local Government offices and the State office of the Commission.
“The physical exercise was suspended yesterday, i.e. 60 days to the election, as required by Section 9 (5) of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended.
“However, the online pre-registration option will continue to be available, but no appointment for completion of registration can be scheduled until after the election.
“The commission will use the next few weeks to compile the register of voters for claims and objections, clean up the data, print the PVCs for collection by registrants and compile the register for each of the 5,720 polling units in the state”, he said.
Yakubu assured that every newly registered voter in the state, including those who applied to transfer from within and outside the state, or for the replacement of damaged or lost Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), would have their cards printed and made available to them before the election.
He said each political party fielding candidates in the election would be given a copy of the voters’ register on Oct. 7.
NAN
