April 22, 2022

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday said it had registered 133, 935 additional eligible voters in the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Lagos State as at April 18.

INEC’s Public Affairs Officer in Lagos State, Mrs Adenike Oriowo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the figure covered the first week of the fourth quarter of the exercise.

Oriowo said that the commission registered 21, 808 eligible voters in the first week of the fourth quarter, thereby bringing the total figure of the new registrants in the state to 133, 935.

She stated that as at the end of the third quarter of the CVR in March, the total number of fresh registrants, who had completed their registration in the state, was 112,127.

The official, however, said that a total of 405, 010 applicants visited the commission’s portal for online pre-registration as at week one of the fourth quarter.

Oriowo stated that 84, 994 fresh applicants did online pre-registration in the first week of the fourth quarter.

She noted that as at the end of the third quarter of the CVR in March, 320,016 new applicants did online pre-registration in the state.

The INEC spokeswoman, who said that there was a little increase in the turnout of fresh applicants, noted that many people who did online pre-registration had not showed up physically for the biometric registration, to complete the exercise.

“The number of people who have completed their registration in the state stands at 4,806,616. Those who registered online account for 2, 079,303 while the figure for physical registration is 2,727,313,’’ she said.

Oriowo noted that the electoral body was committed to registering all eligible applicants in the state, who wanted to participate in the 2023 general elections.

She said that the fourth and last quarter, which began on April 11, would be rounded off on June 30.

“Anybody who wants to vote should take advantage of this window to get registered, transfer their registration or replace their lost or defaced Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before it will be too late,” she said.

Oriowo explained that persons who just celebrated their 18th birthday could visit any INEC office across the state and other designated centres provided to get registered.

The number of fresh registrants nationwide since the exercise started in June 2021, has hit 8, 271,647 as at April 18, the first week of the fourth quarter. (NAN)