Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will resume for its third and final phase on Monday, May 11, 2026.

It held a parley yesterday, in Makurdi, Benue State, with stakeholders and opinion leaders of the four suppressed state constituencies towards their possible restoration in compliance with court orders.

Relatedly, a publisher and public affairs commentator, Usman Okai, picked holes in steps taken by INEC, alleging that the commission was trying to shortchange people of the grassroots and rob them of their constitutional rights.

Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC, Mohammed Haruna, stated yesterday that the exercise, which was earlier suspended on April 17, 2026, would run until July 10, 2026.

INEC explained that the suspension of the second phase was necessary to enable it to clean up the voter register following its publication for claims and objections by registrants.

The commission urged eligible Nigerians who have attained the age of 18, as well as those who were unable to register during earlier phases, to take advantage of the final window to do so.

It also advised already registered voters seeking to transfer their registration, replace lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) or correct their biodata to visit its online portal or any of its state and local council offices nationwide.

INEC disclosed that the voters’ register would be displayed for claims and objections from July 23 to July 29, 2026, in line with statutory provisions. It noted that the exercise would allow citizens to scrutinise the register and help ensure its accuracy and credibility.

THE four Benue constituencies are Gboko III (Central), Konshisha (Shangev Tiev), Makurdi III (South East) and Ukum III (Afia).

The parley tagged ‘Stakeholders engagement on commencement of Technical Process towards Restoration of Suppressed state Constituencies’ had notable personalities like former senator, Prof. Daniel Saror, Senator Fred Orti, Prof Mvendaga Jibo, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Terngu Tsegba, among others interact with the commission for a seamless exercise.

INEC commissioner supervising Benue, Prof. Sunday Ajah, sued for the cooperation of stakeholders as well as the government and people of Benue to fast-track the process.

Similarly, Governor Hyacinth Alia also charged the stakeholders to straighten out all rough edges quickly to ensure that representatives were elected into the restored constituencies as soon as possible.

Alia, who was represented by the deputy governor, Dr Sam Ode, cautioned that INEC was only complying with court orders in line with judgments passed and neither had the powers nor authority to alter delineated constituencies.

OKAI, who was the House of Representatives candidate in the 2023 general election, raised the alarm after the stakeholders’ meeting convened by INEC in Lokoja yesterday to discuss the process for the restoration of the suppressed constituencies.

According to Okai, remarks by INEC at the meeting that a federal constituency can only have four state seats are simply false. “That alone has exposed INEC is already scheming to shortchange people of the state.

“Who says a federal constituency can’t have more than four seats in the state assembly? The Kogi REC needs to follow the law. He must get the facts straight and do the right thing in this exercise.”