April 15, 2022

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in all 54 additional centres created to facilitate the registration of voters across Imo .

Mr  Festus Okoye, INEC’s  National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, made the disclosure in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday.

Okoye said that the suspension was owing  to the unfortunate incident in which an INEC official  was killed by gunmen in Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State on Thursday.

He said that the CVR would now be confined to INEC state and local government area offices, except in Orsu, Njaba and Ihitte Uboma where it is suspended indefinitely.

“This decision follows a further report from the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, of threats to our staff involved in the exercise in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area,” Okoye said.

Earlier, the commission had restricted the exercise to INEC offices in Oru East, Oru West, Orlu and Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Areas.

Okoye also said  the commission had now established contact with two of its officials reported  missing after the attack in Ihitte Uboma.

He  said that the staff were safe and would soon be reunited with their families.

“The safety of staff remains a primary concern to the commission.

“We will continue to ensure that no staff is put in harm’s way while working with the security agencies and community leaders to protect them and facilitate their work,” Okoye said.(NAN)