INEC Extends Voter Registration Indefinitely

The Independent National Electoral Commission has officially announced an indefinite extension to the ongoing continuous voter registration for the 2023 election which was expected to end on June 30, 2022.

Gatekeepers News reports that the INEC National Electoral Commissioner and Chairman (Information and Voter Education Committee), Festus Okoye, made the announcement in a statement.

INEC added that the CVR will continue nationwide, adding that all the Resident Electoral Commissioners and electoral officers have been directed to continue with the exercise pending further directives from the commission.

While giving reasons for the extension, Okoye said that the commission had consistently reiterated its resolve to continue to provide electoral services to the Nigerian people by registering all eligible Nigerians that were interested in registering.

He also explained that the matter was in a Federal High Court, relating to the terminal date of the CVR.

A Federal High Court in Abuja had granted an order of interim injunction stopping INEC from ending voter registration on June 30, 2022.

“The matter came up on Wednesday June 29, 2022, and based on the request of the commission, the court granted an accelerated hearing and adjourned the matter to Monday July 4, 2022 for hearing of the substantive matter. The commission will give an update after court hearing next week”, Okoye said.

He added that INEC has deployed additional machines to areas of pressure and would continue to serve the people of Nigeria.