INEC: Response to voter registration shows Nigerians trust electoral process

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the encouraging response to the ongoing continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise reflects Nigerians’ faith in democracy and the electoral process.

May Agbamuche-Mbu, acting chairman of the commission, spoke on Wednesday at the third quarterly consultative meeting with civil society organisations (CSOs) at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

She said the turnout for the registration, which resumed nationwide on August 18 for online pre-registration and August 25 for in-person registration, has exceeded expectations.

“The commission is impressed by the response of Nigerians to the CVR exercise. For us, this is a testament that Nigerians believe in our democracy and the effort of the Commission towards ensuring that all eligible Nigerians are given the right to determine who leads them,” she said.

Agbamuche-Mbu also reaffirmed INEC’s readiness for the Anambra governorship election scheduled for November 8, 2025.

She said the commission had completed 10 out of 13 key activities outlined in the timetable for the poll.

“The commission has been working assiduously and making arrangements for the successful conduct of the Anambra state governorship election,” she said.

She added that non-sensitive materials have been delivered to the state while voter education and sensitization are ongoing.

On the registration of political parties, Agbamuche-Mbu disclosed that the commission received 171 requests from associations seeking to be registered as political parties.

“Each request was assessed on the basis of compliance with the constitution, the Electoral Act, and the commission’s guidelines,” she said.

“Out of the total number of applications received, 14 associations have met the requirements to proceed to the next stage.”

She also commended CSOs for their continued collaboration with the Commission and reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to credible and inclusive elections.

“We look forward to your contributions to the improvement of the electoral process in Nigeria. On our part, the commission remains committed to deepening democracy through inclusive, transparent and credible electoral processes,” Agbamuche-Mbu added.