The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said 133,114 fresh eligible voters in Gombe State have completed their physical registration as at Monday in the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).
Mr Mohorret Bigun, Public Affairs Officer of the commission in the state disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Friday.
Mr Bigun described the response of residents of the state to CVR as “good’’ and “encouraging’, in view of the number of persons coming out to register for their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
“The number of completed registration keeps increasing; as at Monday, May 30, about 133, 114 persons have completed their registrations in Gombe State and these numbers are for new registrants since June 2021,’’ he said.
Bigun said the commission, in collaboration with the media in the state, had intensified awareness to increase the registration and encourage those who have turned 18 years of age to come and register.
“At the state office here, we have moved to a bigger space to accommodate last minute rush; so residents can come we are ready to get everyone registered provided you have never registered before,’’ he added.
He, however, warned that those that had registered before should avoid registering again as fresh voters, whether for cases of missing PVCs, transfer or for other reasons.
“This is because, multiple registration is a crime,’’ he said.
On possible extension of the exercise, Bigun said that the registration would be closing on June 30, adding that, `we stand on that date; no assurance on extension; don’t wait for extension because it may not come.
“So’, Nigerians should do all that they can to get themselves registered, we still have about 27 days to go and I think that is good enough for people to register.’’
The commission’s spokesman denied that all online services had been suspended, saying, “this is not true; it is only the online pre-registration that had been suspended.
“There are still other services available on our portal like transfer, update information, request for replacement of lost or damaged PVCs and to locate where your PVC is.’’
The INEC official advised those who turned 18 years recently, to get registered else, “you will not participate in deciding who becomes the president, governor, senators and house of representatives and state house of assembly members.’’
He assured that all those who registered and those who transferred or requested for replacement would get their PVCs before the 2023 general elections.
NAN reports that the commission, had on April 21, commenced distribution of 23, 871 PVCs across the state for those that registered in 2021.
(NAN)