Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Anambra State has disclosed that a total of 4,423 voters have so far been registered in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in the state.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Elizabeth Agwu, made the disclosure on Wednesday while addressing journalists in Awka, the state capital.
According to her, the commission has recorded a steady increase in registrations within the first four weeks since the commencement of the exercise on January 5, 2026.
“We recorded zero registration in the first week, while 936, 1,832 and 1,455 registrants were captured in the second, third and fourth weeks respectively,” she said.
Agwu encouraged all eligible citizens aged 18 years and above to register and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), urging them to complete their registrations within the stipulated period and avoid a last-minute rush or calls for extension.
“I want to sincerely urge Ndi Anambra to come out en masse and register for the ongoing voter registration exercise, which will end on April 17, 2026. Let us not wait until the closing days to rush for registration, as there may be no extension after the deadline.
“This is already the fourth week of the exercise, yet only 4,423 persons have been registered across the state. Many of our registration centres are almost empty. People need to take this exercise seriously,” she stated.
Outlining some of the benefits of the voter card, the REC also warned against double registration, noting that such attempts would be futile as the system would detect and reject them during the data cleansing process.
“The voter card does so many things today. It is no longer used only for voting; it serves as a vital and authentic means of identification in the country. Everybody needs to have it, and it is something you obtain once in a lifetime.
“Anyone who registers twice will be screened out by the computer, and all the effort will be wasted. Please, do not attempt double registration,” she cautioned.
Agwu clarified that eligible voters can register at any location and be assigned to their preferred ward for voting. She also urged those who have changed their place of residence or have damaged voter cards to take advantage of the exercise to make necessary corrections and amendments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
She appealed to the Anambra State Government to support efforts to mobilise citizens for the ongoing voter registration exercise, noting that government directives carry significant influence in encouraging participation.
“I also urge the Anambra government to join forces with us and encourage residents to register. They should push our people to do what others are doing. Government pronouncements carry more weight than those of other institutions. I want them to repeat what they did in 2025 by encouraging the people to register for PVCs,” she said.
Agwu reiterated INEC’s commitment to building on past experiences, stating that the commission is working diligently to ensure the 2027 elections surpass the standards set in 2023.
“We are working very hard as INEC to ensure that our technology continues to improve. We have advanced in the use of BVAS to the extent that we received commendations after the Anambra 2025 governorship election. In 2027, BVAS will perform better than it did in 2023 because our system is continually improving,” she stated.
