The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised objections to figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, describing them as “worrisome” and lacking credibility.
According to the statement signed by the State Director of Media, Hezekiah Oladele Bamiji (HOB), the party questioned the wide disparity between the number of online pre-registrants and those who have completed the mandatory in-person registration exercise in Osun State.
The statement partly reads, ” According to INEC’s figures, over 470,000 Nigerians in Osun State have reportedly commenced their registration online within two weeks. However, less than 600 registrants were recorded to have completed the in-person process as at the time of the Commission’s report.
The Osun PDP described this as “a worrisome gap that raises serious questions about the transparency, credibility, and efficiency of the registration process.”
“It is unacceptable for INEC to continue to churn out figures without creating a verifiable and transparent process for political parties and stakeholders to monitor, so much so that the exercise is afterall, mainly to allow Nigerian citizens to participate in the electoral process and not any personal or rocket sciences.
“Beyond being a mere statistical error, the deliberate under-reporting of Osun’s CVR figure raises serious questions about the credibility of INEC’s data management. How could over 25,000 duly completed registrations physically captured by INEC officials across Osun suddenly shrink to just 500 registrations in the national office’s report? Such a gaping disparity cannot be waved aside as a clerical mistake.
It is inconceivable and unacceptable that Osun, a state where daily averages of 1,500 to 2,000 voters complete their in-person registration, would be falsely presented with only 500 completed registrations for the entire reporting period. This contradiction directly insults the intelligence of the electorate and dangerously undermines confidence in the commission’s preparedness for the August 2026 governorship election as well as 2027 general election.
However, the PDP demanded that INEC, “Provide daily detailed reports of completed registrations and voter card transfers to accredited political parties and civil society organizations.
“Allow independent scrutiny of the registration process to ensure transparency and prevent manipulation.
“Guarantee proper record keeping from registration through to the issuance of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
The party further urged the commission to disclose the sources and records of all voter card transfers into Osun State, stressing that such accountability was vital to maintaining electoral integrity.
“It is not enough for INEC to dump figures on Nigerians without authentication and verification. Our democracy demands openness, and Osun PDP will continue to insist on transparency in the voter registration process as the foundation of credible elections,” the statement concluded.
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