News

INEC Suspends Voter Registration in Osun, Ekiti

ByTitilope Adako

PublishedMay 21, 2026

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Osun and Ekiti States ahead of the forthcoming governorship elections in both states.

According to official data released on Thursday in Abuja for Week One of Phase III of the exercise, the commission said the suspension is in line with Section 9 (6) of the Electoral Act 2022.

The report showed that a total of 149,833 Nigerians completed their registration nationwide during the first week of the current phase.

Of this figure, 94,361 citizens registered online, while 55,472 completed their registration physically at designated centres.

INEC noted that the figures are still preliminary, as they will undergo data cleaning during the upcoming claims and objections period, after which the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) will be deployed.

A breakdown of state performance showed Kano State leading with 13,569 registrants, representing 9.06 per cent of the national total.

Sokoto followed with 9,639 registrants (6.43 per cent), while Lagos recorded 9,206 (6.14 per cent).

At the lower end, Ebonyi State recorded the least turnout with 601 registrants (0.40 per cent), followed by Akwa Ibom with 976 (0.65 per cent).

The demographic report indicated that young people aged 18 to 34 dominated the exercise, with 106,836 registrants, representing 71.30 per cent of the total.

Those aged 35 to 49 accounted for 30,219 registrants (20.17 per cent), while citizens aged 50 to 69 recorded 11,617 (7.75 per cent).

Gender distribution showed more female participation, with 78,317 women (52.27 per cent) compared to 71,516 men (47.73 per cent).

By occupation, students topped the list with 36,676 registrants (24.48 per cent), followed by business owners and housewives with 31,365 (20.93 per cent) and 28,191 (18.81 per cent) respectively, while farmers and fishermen recorded 7,914.

INEC also disclosed that 2,759 Persons with Disabilities completed their registration during the week.

The commission urged eligible Nigerians in unaffected states to take advantage of its online portal or visit designated centres to register before the exercise concludes.

Titilope Adako

Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.