Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has announced the start of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Anambra State, as preparations intensify for the 2025 Governorship election and scheduled by-elections.
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr. Queen Elizabeth Agwu, disclosed this during a meeting with journalists held at INEC headquarters in Awka.
According to Dr. Agwu, the CVR exercise will begin on July 8 and run through July 17, 2025, across all 326 wards in the state. Registration will take place daily from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, excluding Mondays.
She made it clear that the current CVR is strictly for Governorship election slated for November 8, 2025. It will not apply to the Anambra South Senatorial and Onitsha North 1 State Constituency by-elections scheduled for August 16, 2025.
“This registration is not for the by-elections. It is strictly for the governorship poll. If you register during this window, you won’t be eligible to vote in August. Those elections will use the current voter register,” she explained.
The registration target individuals who have not registered before, those whose voter’s cards are missing or damaged and those needing changes to their information. She encouraged eligible residents to take advantage of the opportunity, noting that online platforms can be used for updates, but fresh registration must be done in person to capture biometric data.
Dr. Agwu warned against arriving before or after the designated time.
“If you register before 9:00 AM or after 3:00 PM, the system will reject it. The server shuts down automatically and such entries won’t be valid,” she cautioned.
INEC, she added, had received 376 configured scanners for the exercise to work in line with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). Training for ad hoc personnel is scheduled for July 4 and July 5, 2025. She confirmed that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has been officially notified to mobilize corp members for the assignment.
Speaking on the by-elections, Dr. Agwu said arrangements are already in motion. Political parties are expected to conduct primaries and submit their candidates for the elections in eight local government areas. Only voters already on the register in those affected areas will be allowed to vote.
She also announced that after the by-elections, INEC will begin another round of CVR from August 17 to August 26, 2025. However, this phase will not apply to the November governorship election, but rather form part of the preparation for the 2027 general election.
On preparations for the main governorship poll, she explained that INEC has published the list of 16 political parties and their deputy candidates. The Commission has also met with traditional rulers, party executives and community stakeholders to provide election guidelines and expectations.
The REC further urged Ndi Anambra to participate actively and avoid voter apathy. “This is not just a process; it is your right. Registration is free, takes just a few minutes and everything is being handled electronically,” she said.
She warned against paying anyone for registration, saying the process is fully funded by the Federal Government and does not require any payment from citizens.
“Don’t wait till it is too late. This is your chance to be part of the decision. Get registered and get ready to vote,” she stated.
