The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in preparation for the 2027 general election. The exercise, which might have commenced on August 18, would allow eligible Nigerians to register and enable others to update their voter information. The registration will take place at the ward registration centres nationwide. Consequently, INEC has released the list of about 811 registration centres across the country for the exercise expected to be conducted in three phases.
The online pre-registration will be done via its dedicated portal: cvr.inecnigeria.org for pre-registration activities. The physical, in-person registration will begin a week later, on August 25, and will take place across all local government area offices and designated registration centres across the country. The phase one of the exercise, which began on August 18, will end on December 10, with the display of the register scheduled to take place between December 15 and 21. The phase two of the exercise is will begin on January 5, 2026 and end on April 17, 2026, while the register will be displayed between April 20 and 26, 2026, for claims and objections. The Third and final phase of the exercise is scheduled to start on May 4, 2026 and end on August 17, 2026, while the register is to be displayed for claims and objections between August 24 and 30, 2026.
Through the voter registration exercise, the electoral commission has, indeed, started the process leading to the 2027 general election. The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) is an exercise meant for the registration of citizens who have turned 18 years of age after the last registration exercise; or those who for one reason or another could not register in the previous exercise. It is also open to those who may have lost their Permanent Voters Cards or may have relocated from their previous locations. CVR is usually carried out in the INEC Local Government Area offices or at such other locations within the Local Government Areas as may be designated by the commission. Any eligible person can register at the centre nearest to his/her residence. This is to make it easy for the voter to access the Polling Unit (PU) and vote on Election Day.
The registration is done in person and not by proxy. Anyone who wishes to register must appear in person at the CVR centre. There is no registration by proxy. Any prospective voter is expected to present himself to the CVR officers for registration and is able to provide proof of identity, age and nationality, if requested. Multiple registrations are not allowed. A voter can only register in one registration centre. If the voter resides in more than one constituency, he must choose only one location to register to avoid double registration. It is a punishable offence to embark on multiple registrations.
Voter registration is a pre-requisite for voting in all elections. It is not only a fundamental right but also a duty of every eligible citizen of Nigeria. No individual can vote in an election unless he or she is duly registered. All Nigerians who have attained the age of 18 and above and are not yet registered should seize the opportunity offered by the Continuous Voter Registration exercise to register and get their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
For Nigeria’s elections to be credible and transparent, the electoral process must be strengthened. Registering all eligible Nigerians will strengthen our democracy and good governance. Let INEC make the exercise seamless. Political players and their parties should encourage their supporters and members to take part in the registration exercise. Community and religious leaders should encourage their eligible members to participate in the continuous voter registration exercise.
INEC should make this exercise to succeed. The CVR should be a new beginning for the electoral body to get it right after many shoddy exercises. After 26 years of uninterrupted democracy, INEC should sit up and learn from its past mistakes. Effective handling of the exercise will go a long way in determining the success of the 2027 election. The least Nigerians expect from the Yakubu-led INEC is a credible voter registration exercise as a prelude to a transparent election in 2027.
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