INEC Records 2.57m Voters, Begins Mobile Registration In Oyo
•By OYENIYI KAZEEM
IBADAN – THE Independent National Electoral Commission has recorded a total of 2.57 million registered voters in Oyo State following the completion of Phase One of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, as the commission commenced a mobile registration strategy aimed at expanding access across the state.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Oyo State, Prof. Adeniran Rahmon Tella, disclosed this on Wednesday during the maiden media briefing held at the INEC Collation Centre in Ibadan.
Tella said the first phase of the CVR exercise, which was suspended nationwide on December 10, 2025, recorded 2,572,054 completed registrations in the state, comprising 1,503,832 online registrations and 1,068,222 physical registrations.
He noted that the printing of Permanent Voter Cards from the first phase was ongoing and would soon be available for collection by eligible voters.
“The Commission suspended the nationwide CVR exercise at the end of Phase One on December 10, 2025. In Oyo State alone, we recorded over 2.57 million completed registrations. The printing of PVCs from this phase is still in progress and will soon commence for collection,” Tella said.
The REC explained that Phase Two of the CVR exercise began on January 5, 2026, covering both online pre-registration and in-person registration, and is expected to be suspended on April 17, 2026, in line with INEC’s approved timeline.
According to him, as of January 9, 2026, 355 applicants completed online pre-registration, while 196 registrants enrolled physically, bringing the total number of new registrants in the second phase to 551.
To address accessibility challenges observed during the first phase, Tella announced that INEC would deploy Voter Enrolment Devices on a rotational basis across all 351 Registration Areas in Oyo State.
He explained that the commission had adopted a mobile registration model instead of relying solely on static registration centres, in order to reach remote and underserved communities.
“Our IVED machines will be mobile. The Commission has designed a 50-day rotational schedule to ensure voter registration reaches every corner of the state,” he said.
According to the REC, the mobile registration exercise will commence on February 9, 2026, operating from 9am to 3pm daily, excluding weekends and public holidays.
He added that voter registration would continue simultaneously at the INEC State Office and the 33 Local Government Area offices while the rotational exercise is ongoing.
Tella also disclosed that the commission would organise stakeholders’ meetings involving political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, traditional rulers, religious leaders, market associations, youths and persons living with disabilities.
He said the meetings would help ensure effective information dissemination, security deployment and smooth logistics at the various registration venues.
The REC stated that the detailed schedule for the movement of the enrolment devices would be published on INEC’s official website and displayed at local government offices across the state.
He explained that the mobile registration initiative was targeted at eligible voters who had not previously registered, newly eligible youths who just turned 18, voters seeking transfer or correction of their details, and those whose Permanent Voter Cards were lost, damaged or defaced.
Tella also urged voters who had yet to collect their PVCs to do so, noting that INEC still had a large number of unclaimed cards across the 33 LGAs in the state.
“Your voter’s card is not just a piece of plastic; it is your licence to choose leaders and shape the future of our democracy,” he said.
Reaffirming the commission’s commitment to credible elections, Tella said resolutions from a recent induction and strategic retreat held in Lagos had reinforced INEC’s focus on credible, transparent, inclusive and legally compliant elections.
He said the commission was strengthening voter education, political party regulation, stakeholder engagement and the deployment of technology ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
Tella assured residents that INEC staff had been retrained and adequate resources deployed to ensure a seamless CVR process in the state.
He called on the media to support the commission by disseminating accurate information and encouraging eligible residents to participate fully in the ongoing registration exercise.