The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Oyo State, Mr Mutiu Agboke, says the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received no fewer than 7,000 applications since the beginning of the ongoing online Continuous Voters Registration (CVR).
Agboke made the disclosure yesterday in an interview with The Tide source shortly after sensitising the congregation at the Nasrul-lahi-li Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) centre, Samonda, Ibadan.
INEC launched an online portal, on June 28, where eligible Nigerians can register or make request to update their voter information before completing the process physically at the commission’s offices nationwide.
The REC said that all the applicants had completed the pre-registration, adding that the process would only be completed after the capturing which would commence on July 19, at designated centres.
Speaking on the visit to NASFAT, Agboke said he and other management staff of the commission came to engage the congregation on the need for eligible Nigerians to partake in the CVR.
He noted that religious platforms were one of the platforms the commission must explore to pass its message across.
“You can imagine the number of worshippers here and the extent to which they will send the message across to other members.
“We are here today with the Muslims and we are also going to replicate this visit to a Christian platform also.
“So that from the point of religion platform, no individual will say he/she is not aware of what INEC is doing, in terms of voter’s registration,” he said.
Agboke, while addressing the NASFAT congregation, implored those who just clocked 18 years and those that had not registered during previous exercises to make use of the ongoing online CVR to get registered through the dedicated portal – www.cvr.inecnigeria.org.
He maintained that physical exercise would commence on July 19, saying no eligible Nigerian would be disenfranchised during elections as a result of the online registration.
Justifying the online pre-registration, the REC said the exercise was configured for efficiency and that it would reduce overcrowding at registration centres.
He also called on the political class and political parties to mobilise the electorate to register, so as to be on the voters’ registration list for the 2023 General Elections.
He informed the congregation that the state now has additional 1,607 polling units, which according to him will guarantee better access during elections.
He intimated the congregation on the importance of having voter card; such as giving them access to perform their civic responsibility of voting candidate of their choice during elections.