The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commenced the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Edo State on Monday. This exercise is intended to register individuals who have not yet signed up to vote, ahead of the upcoming governorship election in Edo State, scheduled for September 21.
According to the commission, both the CVR and the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) will be conducted over a 10-day period, starting from May 27 and ending on June 5, 2024. The activities will run daily, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., including weekends.
Despite this announcement, the acting chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarret Tenebe, called for the cancellation of the exercise on Friday. He cited damage to the APC secretariat, as well as to the materials and equipment intended for the CVR, as reasons for his request.
In response to this call, Timidi Wariowei, the head of Voters Education and Publicity for Edo INEC, described Tenebe’s allegations as unfair. He pointed out that a stakeholders’ meeting was held on May 16 at the INEC office in Benin to address related issues. Wariowei argued that it was incorrect to blame the commission for the situation.
The CVR exercise was monitored in several local government areas, including Oredo, Egor, and Ikpoba-Okha, and it was observed that PVC collection was happening concurrently with the voter registration.
At the Ikpoba-Okha registration area, INEC National Commissioner Rhoda Gumus, who oversees Edo, Delta, and Cross River, expressed her satisfaction with the progress of the exercise. She urged registrants to be patient, assuring them that everyone would be registered. Gumus noted that the registration area at Ikpoba-Okha was being used as the state head office registration center due to a recent flood disaster at their main office.
Gumus stated, “We have visited Oredo and are now at the Ikpoba-Okha registration area, which we are using as our state head office registration center because of the flood disaster that occurred at our main office on Friday. We are in contact with other registration areas within and outside Benin, and the exercise is proceeding smoothly. As you can see, some people have been registered, while others are still waiting. The process started today and is already impressive and commendable.”
State Resident Electoral Commissioner Anugbum Onuoha emphasized that INEC was well-prepared for the exercise, despite the flood disaster that destroyed some of the commission’s equipment. Onuoha said, “We are grateful for the ability to begin this exercise, despite the flood disaster that destroyed some of our equipment on Friday. We relocated our head office registration area to the INEC office at Ikpoba-Okha local government due to the flood. We are witnessing a large turnout of people, including new registrants, those transferring their registration, and those collecting PVCs. INEC is ready for this exercise, and nothing will make us fail. Many expected us to cancel the exercise, but we were prepared even before the flood disaster. Although we experienced some initial network problems, they have been resolved, and the exercise is proceeding smoothly. By the grace of God, it will be successful.”
However, the acting chairman of the APC, Jarret Tenebe, reiterated his call on Sunday for INEC to cancel the CVR exercise, citing damage to the APC secretariat and related materials and equipment. The APC had previously alleged at a press conference on Friday in Benin that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and INEC were colluding to manipulate the CVR in favor of the PDP. The APC claimed that this manipulation was the first step in a broader plan to rig the election in favor of the PDP.