ABUJA — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that more than 3.5 million Nigerians have completed their online pre-registration in the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
The update was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee.
“As at Sunday, 7th September 2025, a total of 3,544,850 Nigerians have now pre-registered online in three weeks since the commencement of the exercise on 18th August 2025,” the statement read.
South West leads, South East trails
A breakdown of the figures showed Osun leading with 518,635 registrants, followed by Lagos (440,647), Ogun (348,217), and Borno (296,409). At the bottom of the chart, Enugu recorded the lowest with just 1,203 registrants, while Ebonyi (1,616) and Abia (2,629) also posted weak figures.
Findings reveal that while the South West region is recording impressive turnout, the South East is lagging far behind, sparking concerns among stakeholders and calls for urgent mobilization.
El-Rufai urges South East to wake up
Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, recently expressed concern over the region’s low participation. Speaking at an event in Imo State, he urged residents to treat the exercise as a civic duty.
“Voting is important. Registering to vote is a civic duty. The South East, including Imo, are lagging behind the rest of Nigeria. I appeal to our mothers, sisters, and daughters — encourage your children, even those who will be 18 in two years, to register now,” he said.
‘Too early to panic’ — APC chieftain
Enugu State APC chairman, Ugochukwu Agballah, however, cautioned against panic, noting that the exercise was still in its early days. He urged residents to avoid last-minute congestion by registering early, while calling on community leaders and traditional rulers to mobilize their people.
Political apathy blamed
A communication scholar, Dr. Nduka Odo, linked the low turnout to deep-rooted political apathy in the South East. According to him, many residents feel alienated from Nigeria’s political system, a sentiment dating back to the aftermath of the civil war.
“This apathy is bad for national cohesion and worse for the region itself. Power is never given; it is taken. If the South East stays away from registration, they weaken their bargaining power at the federal level,” he said.
Lawmakers, leaders push grassroots mobilization
Enugu lawmaker, Malachy Onyechi, said efforts were ongoing to sensitize rural dwellers, stressing that many are either unaware of the exercise or reluctant to prioritize it over business activities.
“Our people are relaxed about voter registration and prefer last-minute action. But with continued awareness campaigns, participation will improve,” he assured.
The CVR exercise, which commenced on August 18, is part of INEC’s efforts to expand voter access ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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