…2.57m voters in CVR phase one
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oyo State is partnering with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, to strengthen voters’ education and public enlightenment across the state.
The collaboration was reached when Adeniran Tella, resident electoral commissioner (REC) of INEC in Oyo State, received the newly inaugurated executives of the NUJ, Oyo State Council, led by its chairman, Akeem Abas, during a courtesy visit to the INEC state headquarters in Ibadan.
Tella, a professor, described the NUJ as a critical stakeholder in voters’ enlightenment and the conduct of credible elections in Nigeria, saying that sustained engagement with the media would enhance public understanding of the electoral process.
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A total of 2.57 million voters were registered 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. According to him, 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 further revealed 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 INEC, the REC disclosed, had commenced the second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Oyo State on January 5, 2026, and is scheduled to end on April 17, 2026. “The mobile registration exercise will commence on February 9, 2026, operating from 9am to 3pm daily, excluding weekends and public holidays.
The exercise will move to all the 351 Registration Areas and wards across the state, stressing that the rotational registration at the grassroots level would run for 50 days from February 9, 2026, between 9:00am and 3:00pm daily, excluding weekends and public holidays.
“The commission adopted a mobile registration model instead of relying solely on static registration centres, in order to reach remote and underserved communities. So,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”.
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Tella urged journalists to intensify public awareness to ensure eligible voters take advantage of the opportunity to register, update their details, or transfer their voter registration closer to their places of residence.
He further revealed that journalists would be incorporated into INEC’s monthly capacity-building training programmes as part of efforts to deepen the existing partnership between the commission and the media.
Earlier, Akeem Abas, chairman, NUJ, Oyo State Council, said that the union was committed to strengthening its relationship with INEC to promote effective participation of citizens in the electoral process. Abas, who was accompanied by Abiodun Atilola, vice chairman, Temidayo Adu, secretary and Imran Khalid, ex officio, stated that sustained collaboration between INEC and the NUJ would foster robust voter education and contribute to credible and transparent elections in the state. Meanwhile, NUJ, Oyo State Council has urged the state government and security agencies to strengthen and rejig the security network across Oyo State, particularly in border communities and forest areas, to prevent the infiltration of bandits into the Pacesetter State.
The union, while commiserating with victims of the recent attack on the National Park Office at Oloka Village, which left five forest guards dead and others injured, noted that improved intelligence gathering, effective inter-agency collaboration, and sustained security surveillance are necessary to avert the recurrence of such incidents.
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In a statement jointly signed by its chairman, Akeem Abas, and secretary, Temidayo Adu, the NUJ sympathised with families of the deceased and also those injured in the attack described the incident as disturbing and a threat to public safety.
The NUJ commended the swift response of the state government and security agencies, adding that their prompt intervention prevented further escalation of the incident.
The union called for urgent and adequate medical attention for victims who sustained injuries during the attack, stressing that their health and recovery should be treated as a priority.
