Edo Guber: INEC Commences CVR, PVC Collection Exercises

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Ahead of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has commenced the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise to capture new registrants who have yet to register in the state.

Areas monitored like Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Areas also saw PVC collection going on side by side with the continuous voter registration exercise.

Speaking at Ikpoba-Okha registration area, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Edo, Delta and Cross River while monitoring the exercise commended the smooth process of the exercise.

Gumus, who expressed satisfaction at the process, urged the registrants to be patient, adding that they will all be registered.

She said “We have been to Oredo and we are here at Ikpoba-Okha registration area which we are using as our state head office registration centre because of the flood disaster that happened at our head office on Friday.

“So far, we are in touch with other registration areas within and outside Benin-City and the exercise is going on smoothly. As you can see, we have registered some people and others are still waiting.

“The process just started today and it is going on smoothly and it is impressive and commendable.”

In his remarks, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Anugbum Onuoha, said that INEC was well prepared for the exercise adding that, the flood disaster that destroyed some of the commission’s equipment could not stop the exercise.

Onuoha said: ” We thank God for the enablement to begin this exercise, having in mind the flood disaster that destroyed some of our equipment on Friday.

“Because of the flood disaster, we had to move our head office registration area to INEC office at Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area.

“We are here and witnessing a large turnout of people who are here as either new registrants or to transfer their registration or for PVC collection.

“INEC is prepared for this exercise and nothing will make us fail. People expected us to discontinue the exercise but we were prepared even before the flood disaster happened.

“Yes, we had so initial network problems but it has been resolved and the exercise is going on smoothly and by the grace of God, the exercise will be successful.”

He added that both the CVR and the PVC collection would be a 10-day exercise, starting from May 27 to June 5, 2024 from 9am to 3 pm daily including weekends.