2023 Election: INEC Announces Resumption Of Voter Registration, Earmarks N1billion For Exercise

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will commence in the first quarter of 2021 ahead of the 2023 general election.

Chairman of the Electoral body, Professor Mahmood Yakubu made the announcement during a budget defence session with the Senate Committee on INEC on Wednesday November 4, said the sum of N1billion has also been earmarked for the exercise.

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Yakubu disclosed that he is in support of diaspora voting during the session, and also called on the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act to accommodate diaspora and early voting.

The INEC boss is also seeking approval of the Senate to spend N5.2 billion from the special INEC fund to make up for the shortfall in the 2020 budget which was cut because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

INEC had earlier in October said the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the voter registration exercise.

Yakubu said the virus was still very much in the community and CVR is a national exercise that requires the mobilisation of a lot of equipment, materials, and personnel.