Extension Of Voter Registration Is ‘Inevitable’ – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission will extend the deadline for its Continuous Voter Registration exercise, national commissioner Festus Okoye said on Friday.

Civil society organisations have called for the deadline of June 30 to be extended to enable more Nigerians register to vote in the 2023 general elections.

INEC “is disposed towards extending the date for the CVR,” Mr Okoye said while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

However, while civil societies such as Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have argued that INEC should stop voter registration 90 days before the general elections, the commission says it is constrained by financial and logistic factors.

INEC is disposed towards extending voter registration. An extension is inevitable. But not up to the period that some people are canvassing. – Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner#PoliticsToday #CTVTweets pic.twitter.com/YtSvbmnvHO

— Channels Television (@channelstv) June 24, 2022

A Federal High Court is set to rule on a suit brought by SERAP against INEC on June 29.

“We are convinced that after we make our arguments, the court will be convinced on why we cannot extend the CVR beyond a certain period,” Mr Okoye said.

“But we are convinced, given the enthusiasm of Nigerians, given the new resolve of Nigerians to register, that an extension is inevitable.

“The Commission is disposed towards extending the period for the CVR but not up to the period that some people are canvassing.”