Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says continuous voter registration (CVR) will end on July 31, 2022.

The commission made the decision at an extraordinary session which took place on Friday.

The electoral umpire said the exercise has also been extended to eight hours daily — from 9am to 5pm — instead of the current duration of six hours daily.

Festus Okoye, INEC commissioner for information and voter education, said the exercise will now include weekends as against only weekdays.

INEC had earlier fixed June 30 as the deadline for the ongoing CVR ahead of the 2023 elections — but the commission later extended the exercise by two weeks.

“We appeal for the patience and understanding of all Nigerians as we conclude the exercise which will resume after the 2023 General Election,” INEC said.

“We observed that following the continuation of the exercise beyond 30th June 2022, many of the registration centres recorded low turnout of prospective registrants.

“With this two-week extension, we appeal to eligible citizens not to wait until the last few days before they inundate the centres again to register.

“We appreciate that the timeframe may be tight for many prospective registrants, but there is a lot that the Commission is required to do under the electoral legal framework in relation to voter registration and compilation of the register that will require time to accomplish.

“We appreciate the interest of Nigerians to register and participate in the electoral process and once again reiterate our commitment to credible and transparent elections. This can only be achieved with the support and cooperation of all Nigerians.”

The commission asked Nigerians to take advantage of the new two-week extension to register for their permanent voter cards (PVCs).

The Cable