The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deployed five more INEC Voter Enrolment Devices (IVED), in addition to the 46 in use, to boost the ongoing voter registration exercise in Ebonyi.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, disclosed this at a press conference in his office in Abakaliki on Friday.
Chukwu said the commission had embarked on mass sensitisation of residents through the electronic media and town hall meetings with key stakeholders, including traditional rulers.
He said the extension of the registration deadline from June 30 was in response to popular appeals by Nigerians from different walks of life.
“We started the 2021/2022 continuous voter registration on June 28, 2021. INEC as an organisation has a road map and, according to our road map, the exercise is supposed to end on June 30.
“But, because of the number of eligible people coming out to register, the commission decided to extend the deadline, indefinitely. We, therefore, call on residents, who have yet to register, to avail themselves of the window to get registered,” the REC further stated.
He also said as part of the efforts to scale up the registration, INEC deployed two intervention mobile machines that would be taken around some institutions in Abakiliki to register people, due to the peculiarity of their jobs.
Chukwu said that only 242 old PVCs had so far been claimed, while 131,728 were still in INEC’s custody.
He disclosed that the PVCs of those who registered between June 28, 2021, and February 14 were already for collection.
He appealed to relevant stakeholders to assist the commission to sensitise the people on the need to collect their cards.
Chukwu further said that the commission had activated the portal for the uploading of particulars of the Governorship and House of Assembly Candidates for the general elections.
“The portal will be open between July 1 and July 15 and once we close on Friday, July 15, there will not be any room to reopen it,” he said. (NAN)
