By EMMANUEL OLONIRUHA

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says 505,906 voters have participated in its pre-registration for the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja during a roadshow organized by the commission to flag off the 2025 CVR exercise.

Yakubu said that INEC designated and activated its portal for the CVR exercise five days ago.

Represented by National Commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, Yakubu said that the figure attested to the fact that Nigerians believed in democracy and INEC?s effort to further strengthen the electoral process.

Yakubu said that the CVR highlighted a significant step of INEC?s effort to deliver credible elections and to strengthen Nigeria?s democracy.

The INEC chairman said that the CVR started with online pre-registration on Aug. 18, enabling citizens to use their electronic devices to pre-register online.

He said that starting from Aug. 25, INEC Local Government Area (LGA) and state offices would be open for in-person registration.

According to him, the in-person registration will afford those who pre-registered online and those who want to register afresh the opportunity to complete the process by capturing their fingerprint and photographs.

?The commission is impressed by the response of Nigerians who visited the online platform to pre-register.

?As at midnight of August 22, 505,906 citizens have pre-registered.

?This is a testament that Nigerians believe in our democracy and the efforts of the Commission to further strengthen the electoral process,? Yakubu said.

He urged all citizens who are 18 years and above, and those who want to update or transfer their voter records, to seize the opportunity to do so.

?Your Permanent Voter Card (PVC) is key to making your voice heard,? he said.

The CVR, according to INEC Chairman, will run across 811 centers, including INEC 774 Local Government offices and state offices, from 9 a.m to 3 p.m, Monday to Friday.

He advised Nigerians to access INEC user-friendly portal at www.cvr.inecnigeria.org for pre-registration, PVC status checks and locating registration centers.

?Transfer of registration, request for replacement of lost or damaged PVCs, as well as correction of information, can all be done via our online portal.

?Our staff are committed to ensuring accessibility for all, including vulnerable groups,?? he said.

Yakubu urged all political parties, civil society, the media and all relevant stakeholders to support the exercise by joining the commission in creating the much-needed awareness for the exercise.

He said that the awareness roadshow would be replicated by INEC Staff across the 36 states of the federation.

Also speaking, the Director Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, expressed the commission?s readiness for the in-person registration across its offices nationwide.

?Our offices are ready; we have been planning before now, which is why we took a week between pre-registration and in-persons registration commencement.

?So, everything is on course. From Aug. 25 people will be attended to in our offices nationwide, 36 states and the FCT, and the 774 LGA offices of INEC from 9am to 3pm,?? she said.

Eta-Messi advised citizens who had registered before not to register again, saying double registration amounted to electoral offence with consequences.

She also advised those currently below 18 not to register until they attain the permitted age for registration.

?This first phase is going to run up till Dec. 10. After that there will be a break, then in January 2026 we resume again.

?So, we have three phases till Aug. 30, 2026. So if they are not 18 now by Aug. 30, 2026 they will be 18 and they can take advantage of the exercise before we close,? she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the roadshow had the participation of INEC Staff members and volunteers from the NYSC.

It kicked off from INEC national headquarters in Maitama, through Wuse, with major stop over at Wuse Market. (NAN)

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