The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said 66 percent (totalling 356,777) of 542,576 online registrants are young people between the ages of 18 and 34 years.

Also, 156,446 of the registrants are students, followed by businessmen and traders who are 150,145 in number.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who gave the statistics at a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), expressed the Commission’s satisfaction with Nigerians’ response to the online pre-registration exercise, which began on June 28.

Prof. Yakubu stated that 134,719 of the new registrants are people between 35 and 49 years while elderly, persons between 50 and 69 years are 44,896.

“Interestingly, some 6,184 senior citizens (aged 70 years and above) have taken advantage of the new online opportunity to register,” he added.

According to him, farmers and fishermen are not left out, stating 24,421 of the registrants are in this category.

Occupational distribution of other registrants are artisans, 38,217; civil and public servants, 35,831, and housewives, 8,334

“The remaining 129,182 registrants did not specify their occupations,” the INEC Chairman said, just as he disclosed that 321,781 of the registrants are male while 220,795 are female.

“In our effort to serve all Nigerians better, the Commission has requested registrants to indicate their disability (if any). This will enable us to optimally and efficiently deploy assistive voting devices such as Braille ballot guide and magnifying glasses for persons with special needs at polling units on election day. So far, we have data for 6,558 registrants who have clearly indicated their type of disability,” he added.

Prof. Yakubu stated that INEC is aware that not all Nigerians have access to computers, smart phones or internet connectivity to register online, and assured that there will be an opportunity for physical or in-person registration at designated centres. (New Telegraph)