The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has approved the creation of additional 370 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) centres across the country.
The commission, in a statement issued on its online newspapers on Wednesday in Abuja, said that each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were allocated 10 new centres each.
“When added to the existing 302 centres created in the first quarter of the CVR exercise, the total number will increase to 672 nationwide,” it said.
It noted that the decision was informed by INEC’s desire to provide citizens with wider access to registration centres to enable them register in the on-going CVR exercise ahead of the 2019 general election.
The CVR exercise commenced on April 27.
In another development, the statement disclosed that the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) inducted five directing staff of the commission.
READ ALSO: Obanikoro returns to APC, says no place like home
It stated that the induction took place during the institute’s annual conference held on Monday in Abuja.
It quoted INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, at the occasion, as commending the institute for its partnership with INEC in deploying the Electoral Alternative Dispute Resolution (EADR) tool, aimed at resolving electoral disputes peacefully.
Yakubu, represented by INEC National Commissioner, Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, said that the introduction of the EADR through several interventions such as trainings, mediation exercises and sensitisation of electoral/political stakeholders had greatly helped in reducing cases of litigations in the electoral process.
He expressed optimism that with greater partnership with the ICMC, more awareness on the use of the ADR tool in resolving electoral disputes would be created.
It noted that Yakubu was also conferred with the Institute’s honorary fellowship in recognition of his support for the ADR mechanism.
According to the statement the commission had in the past, deployed the EADR tool through its ADR Directorate in resolving electoral disputes in different states including Kano and Imo.
(NAN)
