The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced a significant change to its ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), moving the exercise from its central offices to all 62 electoral wards.
This strategic shift is intended to make voter registration more accessible to residents ahead of the February 2026 Area Council elections.
At a sensitisation meeting with leaders of the disability community, INEC FCT Administrative Secretary, Bimbo Oladunjoye, announced that the online pre-registration portal for new voters would be suspended at 11:59 pm on Monday, September 15, 2025.
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The in-person, ward-level registration is scheduled to commence on Monday, September 29, and will run until Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
It will be conducted daily from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, including weekends, at 69 designated centres, encompassing all six area council offices and the state office.
Oladunjoye, representing the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Aminu Idris, stressed that the move demonstrates the commission’s dedication to creating an “inclusive and equitable electoral playing field.”
She urged individuals who had pre-registered online to complete their registration with biometric capture at one of the new centres, as their registration would remain invalid otherwise.
Leaders from the disability community, including the Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) FCT Chapter, Joseph Wakili, welcomed the initiative.
Wakili, however, called for more accessible facilities, such as ramps, Braille materials, and sign language interpreters, at the ward-level centres to ensure full participation for all disabled individuals.
He emphasised the importance of voter registration, stating, “Without a voter card, we cannot vote. Without our votes, our issues may be ignored.”
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INEC officials, including Habiba Jatto and Grace Jerry of Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), provided technical presentations on enhancing the participation of persons with disabilities.
The meeting ended with a pledge to ensure that no eligible citizen is left behind in the electoral process.
