• Says five new groups seek party registration

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Anambra State by three days after registering 96,085 new voters in nine days ahead of the state’s off-cycle governorship election slated for November.  
 
With the extension, the CVR will now end on Sunday, July 20, 2025, instead of the initial deadline of Thursday, July 17. The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, INEC, in a statement yesterday, disclosed that an average of over 10,600 voters were registered daily
 
The Commission expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct and impressive turnout during the CVR across the 326 registration centres in the state.
 
Olumekun revealed that 56,017 (58 per cent) of the new registrants are female, while 50,429 (52.48 per cent) are youths aged between 18 and 34. He said: “On average, the Commission registered over 10,600 voters per day. In addition, 12,595 voters applied for transfer of their registration both within and outside the state, while 7,061 persons applied for the update of their records or the replacement of their damaged or lost Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).  
 
“However, in response to appeals from citizens, the Commission hereby extends the exercise for three more days. It will now end on Sunday, July 20, 2025. Thereafter, the Commission will display the register for claims and objections by citizens, as provided by law, followed by a further clean-up of the data using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).
 
Olumekun also disclosed that the commission has received five new applications from associations seeking registration as political parties, bringing the total number of such applications to 134.
 
They are the Green Future Party (GFP), Affirmative Action Party of Nigeria (AAPN), A Better Alliance for Nigeria (ABA), New National Democratic Party (NNDP) and Advanced Progressive People’s Alliance (APPA). 

MEANWHILE, the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide in Anambra State has expressed worry over the failures associated with the ongoing CVR exercise across the state.  
 
In a statement yesterday, signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Uzo Ekemezie, the group decried an alleged “deliberate scheme” to disenfranchise the people of the state in what they thought should be a seamless civic process.  
 
They condemned an alleged avoidable chaos and failures reported across the state, particularly in Ogbaru, Obosi, Isiagu, Anambra East, Anambra West, Ihiala, and several other communities and wards, where, according to them, thousands of people are being systematically denied their constitutional right to register and participate in the electoral process.
 
Explaining that the complaints from various communities paint a disturbing picture, the group pointed out that the gross undersupply of registration machines and personnel are crippling the process.