The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has registered 93,220 new voters in Edo State in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Obo Effanga, disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing in Benin City while unveiling the timetable for the final phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
According to Effanga, the final phase of the exercise will commence on May 11 and run until July 10 across the 18 local government areas of the state.
He explained that INEC has deployed two voter enrolment machines to each local government area and also released schedules showing registration venues and dates for all wards.
“We are going to strictly adhere to the timetable. If our officials are absent from any designated venue on the scheduled date, residents should immediately report it,” he stated.
The REC noted that the 93,220 registrations were recorded during the first two phases of the exercise conducted between August 2025 and April 2026.
He, however, clarified that the figures would still undergo verification to remove cases of multiple registrations and ineligible applicants before being added to the official voter register.
Effanga disclosed that Edo State had 2,629,025 registered voters as of the last governorship election.
He urged eligible Nigerians, especially youths who recently turned 18, to take advantage of the ongoing exercise and avoid last-minute registration.
“The best time to register is now. Many people usually wait until the deadline approaches and later complain about not getting the opportunity,” he said.
The electoral official also reiterated that only Nigerians who are at least 18 years old at the time of registration are qualified to register and vote.
He added that residents seeking transfer of voting locations, correction of personal information, or replacement of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) can process their requests online through INEC’s voter portal.
Effanga further assured residents that all new PVCs generated during the exercise would be ready before the 2027 general elections.
He attributed Edo’s comparatively lower registration figures to the several voter registration exercises previously conducted in the state ahead of the 2024 governorship election.