In preparation for the gubernatorial elections coming up in Edo and Ondo states, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reeled out breakdown of the 177,914 new voters added to the voter’s registers of both states.
It reveals the updated voter demographics and potential impacts of the new voters on the forthcoming elections in the states.
According to the analysis of the electoral commission, out of the 269,992 citizens who participated in the exercise, approximately 92,098 did not meet the registration requirements and were subsequently excluded from the register.
The final list of eligible voters and the date for collecting PVCs in the two states would be annkunced by the commission soon.
According to the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, the figures do not account for the 8,847 applications for transfer into Edo State and the 3,132 applications for transfer into Ondo State from other states, as these are already included in the voters register.
He disclosed that there were 2,501,081 registered voters in Edo State, with 2,128,288 of them having collected their PVCs.
In Ondo State, there were 1,991,344 registered voters, out of which 1,729,641 collected their PVCs.
According to a statement, INEC said: “On Tuesday, June 11, 2024, we shared the preliminary figures of newly registered voters for the upcoming Edo and Ondo State Governorship elections. This was done before the period allocated for claims and objections, followed by a data cleanup using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS). We are pleased to inform you that these processes have now been completed.
“The number of new voters registered in Edo State stands at 119,206, while Ondo State has 58,708 new voters. These figures exclude the 8,847 applications for voter transfers into Edo State and the 3,132 applications for transfers into Ondo State from other states across the federation.
“The figures do not include applications for transfer within the two States, as these are already recorded in the register of voters.
“The numbers of new voters and inter-State transfers are being integrated into the existing register. In the coming days, the Commission will release the comprehensive and final register of voters to be used for the 2024 Governorship elections in each of the two states.”