The Independent National Electoral Commission in Kwara State says it has received 180,638 applications so far in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise, which began in August.
The figure includes new registrations, transfers, and voter data updates, according to the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hale Gabriel Longpet.
Longpet disclosed this in an exclusive interview with newsmen in Ilorin on Wednesday.
Giving a breakdown, Longpet said 136,628 applicants had pre-registered online before appearing for biometric capture, 11,756 sought to transfer their Permanent Voter Cards, while only 4,867 were new registrants.
“Personally, I think that is very low. From 2022 till date, hundreds of thousands of people have turned 18 and should have registered. But what we are seeing is that the majority of applications are people who sought to transfer their voting units rather than new registrants,” the REC said.
He identified insecurity in parts of Ifelodun, Edu, and Patigi Local Government Areas as a major obstacle that initially stalled registration in those areas.
“When we started, we didn’t have a single person registered in those LGAs due to insecurity. But with the help of the military, we have now made some progress,” he noted.
As of Tuesday, October 14, 2025, Patigi had 1,871 applications, of which only 193 were completed; Edu recorded 5,683 applications with 267 completed registrations, while Ifelodun received 6,126 applications but completed only 52 due to persistent security concerns.
He also cited congestion in Ilorin West and Ilorin East as another challenge, revealing that the two LGAs account for over 72,000 applications, mostly transfers from people relocating from insecurity-prone areas.
“We’re experiencing a heavy influx from people relocating from insecurity-prone LGAs to metropolitan areas like Ilorin,” he explained.
The CVR exercise is part of INEC’s preparation for the 2027 general elections, enabling eligible citizens to register, transfer polling units, or correct personal data.
Despite the security and logistical challenges, Longpet assured that the process remains transparent and inclusive, adding that the commission is working to ensure no eligible voter is disenfranchised.
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