The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has engaged stakeholders in Katsina State on strategies for a successful Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
Speaking at the meeting, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Prof. Yahaya Makarfi, said the session was convened to review key areas such as crowd management, voter education, and logistics with community leaders, political parties, and other stakeholders.
“This meeting was called to identify challenges and areas of improvement, particularly in terms of efficiency, to ensure a hitch-free CVR exercise,” Makarfi explained. He noted that the registration exercise, which resumed on August 18 after being suspended ahead of the 2023 elections, would run until August 30.
INEC’s Head of Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Inclusivity in Katsina, Malam Ibrahim Hashim, revealed that the state currently has more than 3.5 million registered voters. He stressed that the CVR was not a fresh exercise but a continuation of previous registrations dating back to 2011, aimed at accommodating citizens who recently turned 18, those who missed out previously, or returnees from abroad.
Hashim added that beyond new registrations, the CVR covers voter transfers between polling units, local government areas, or states; updates to personal details on the Permanent Voter Card (PVC); and replacement of lost, damaged, or defaced PVCs.
He explained that registration is ongoing at INEC’s state office and the 34 local government area offices across Katsina, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily, excluding weekends and public holidays. The process, he said, combines online pre-registration through the commission’s portal with physical biometric capture at designated centres.
Stakeholders, including civil society groups, security agencies, political parties, and representatives of persons with disabilities, attended the meeting and pledged support for a credible and inclusive voter registration process.
