INEC registers new voters ahead of Edo, Ondo election
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the finalized numbers for newly registered voters ahead of the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.
According to the updated figures, Edo State has 119,206 new voters, while Ondo State has 58,708. Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, announced these numbers in a press release on Monday.
Following the initial preliminary figures released on June 11, 2024, INEC has completed the data verification process using the Automated Biometric Identification System. Olumekun stated, “In our Press Statement on June 11, 2024, we provided preliminary numbers of newly registered voters for the Edo and Ondo State governorship elections. After the claims and objections period and data cleanup using the Automated Biometric Identification System, we have finalized the figures. Edo State now has 119,206 new voters, and Ondo State has 58,708.”
The commission also noted that these figures do not include the 8,847 voter transfer applications into Edo State and 3,132 into Ondo State from other regions. Additionally, transfer applications within Edo and Ondo States have been incorporated into the voter register.
“The figures provided do not account for the 8,847 transfer applications into Edo State and the 3,132 into Ondo State from other states. Similarly, applications for transfers within Edo and Ondo States are not included, as these are already reflected in the voter register.
The new voter numbers and inter-state transfers are currently being incorporated into the existing register. INEC plans to release the comprehensive and final voter register for both states in the coming days.
The Commission will soon publish the complete and final register to be used for the 2024 governorship elections in each state. For greater transparency, detailed analyses of new voters—categorized by local government areas, gender, age, occupation, and disability status—are available on INEC’s website and social media platforms.
The Edo election is scheduled for September 21, 2024, with seventeen political parties fielding candidates. The Ondo election will be held on November 16, 2024, also with seventeen parties participating, though no female candidates are running for governor.”
