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From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concern over insecurity and poor network connectivity, which might pose major challenges to the smooth conduct of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Kebbi State.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Abubakar Sarkin-Fawa, stated this on Monday in Birnin Kebbi during a meeting with newsmen and stakeholders in election management.
Fawa said that the third phase of the CVR exercise commenced on Monday, 11 May, and would end on 3 June on a rotational basis across the state.
He added that the exercise would also hold from July 6 to July 10 at all 21 INEC local government area offices in the state.
According to him, the exercise is being conducted across the 225 registration areas (wards) in Kebbi to enable eligible Nigerians who have attained the age of 18, as well as those who were unable to register previously, to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Fawa said the exercise would also provide an opportunity for registered voters to transfer their registration, replace lost or damaged PVCs, and correct personal information in their voter records.
He disclosed that the state remained among the top five states with the highest number of registrants recorded during the previous phases of the CVR exercise.
Fawa attributed the achievement to increasing public awareness and residents’ commitment to participating in the democratic process.
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The REC said that pockets of insecurity in some parts of the state had continued to pose serious threats to registration personnel and the exercise in general.
“Due to insecurity in some areas, our personnel are exposed to risks, thereby necessitating the relocation of some registration activities to safer locations,” he said.
He appealed to stakeholders and community leaders to provide timely information that would assist the commission in safeguarding both officials and registrants.
Fawa also decried the low turnout of eligible registrants in some rural communities, stressing the need for intensified sensitisation and mobilisation campaigns.
He urged stakeholders to deploy all available communication channels to encourage greater participation, especially among rural dwellers.
The REC further identified poor network connectivity in some local government areas as another major challenge affecting registration operations.
According to him, stakeholders can support the commission by providing useful information on locations within registration centres where network services are accessible.
Fawa called on eligible residents of the state to participate peacefully and actively in the exercise within the stipulated period.
He reiterated the commission’s commitment to conducting a transparent, inclusive and credible voter registration process in line with its constitutional mandate.
