The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the registration of 119,206 new voters ahead of the Edo State governorship election scheduled for September 2024. The commission has urged all newly registered voters to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in person at designated centers across the state.
During a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) held in Abuja on Monday, INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmood, emphasized the commission’s commitment to ensuring a free and fair election in Edo State. He clarified that PVC collection by proxy will not be allowed, reinforcing the importance of personal collection to maintain the integrity of the process.
In addition to the new registrations, INEC facilitated several voter-related services:
- 8,847 voters transferred their registration from other states to Edo.
- 46,171 voters transferred their registration within the state.
- 4,808 voters requested corrections to their registration details, such as names or dates of birth.
- 5,406 voters applied for replacement PVCs due to damage or loss.
In total, 184,438 voters were served during the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Edo State. All newly registered voters will be issued PVCs, which have already been printed and delivered to INEC’s office in Benin City. The cards are now available for collection.
To ensure a smooth process, PVCs can be collected at the 192 Wards across the state from Thursday, 22nd August 2024 to Monday, 26th August 2024, between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm daily, including weekends. After this period, collection will continue at the 18 Local Government offices from Wednesday, 28th August 2024 to Sunday, 8th September 2024, during the same hours.
Additionally, INEC will make the final voter register available to all political parties fielding candidates for the election. The soft copy of the register will be presented to each party on Tuesday, 20th August 2024, in INEC’s Benin City office.
Professor Mahmood also reminded media organizations and observers to complete their accreditation process before the deadline of Thursday, 5th September 2024. So far, 63 organizations have submitted details for the accreditation of 584 personnel.
This comprehensive preparation by INEC underscores its dedication to ensuring that all eligible voters in Edo State can participate in the upcoming election.