By 
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has declared as abysmal the 1,801 fresh registrations in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in Enugu State.
Recall that INEC commenced the CVR online registration on August 18, while the in-person registration started nationwide on August 28.
Chief Rex Achumie, Head of Department (HOD), Voter Education and Publicity, INEC Enugu, told newsmen on Tuesday that only 1,801 had registered in the past 15 days of in-person CVR exercise in the area.
According to Achumie, the 15 days of CVR registration period covered from August 25 to September. 12 in INEC’s CVR centres in the state.
He noted that the 1,801 comprised 896 males and 905 females, adding that the fresh registration remained abysmally low as an average state record about 25,000 fresh registrations in the same period.
According to him, “The CVR has been ongoing smoothly. We do not have any record of connectivity challenges; or lack of manpower or lack of machines to do the job.
“The challenge we have is the low turnout of residents for the exercise and it is appalling to see people trickling to the CVR centres at wide intervals each day.
“The electoral and political stakeholders need to help in the sensitisation of people who turned 18 years and people not registered before now,” he said.
Achumie emphasized that the CVR and its fresh registration remained important in the electoral process, adding, “It should be given the seriousness and attention it deserves because obtaining the card is imperative to voting during elections”.
“CVR registration is not just a political party affair, but every Nigerian within the voting age should be concerned even if one does not belong to any political party.”
The CVR, which runs from Monday to Friday, between 9a.m. and 4p.m., is being held in the INEC’s State Headquarters in Enugu and INEC’s offices in the 17 council area secretariats across the state.
Comments