By Chris Moffat

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a 50-day Continuous Voter Registration exercise across the 329 wards of Akwa Ibom State.

The ward-level registration, which began on Monday, will run for 50 days.

This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Uyo by the INEC Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, Bukola Ojeme.

Ojeme said the exercise was designed to bring voter registration closer to the grassroots, urging eligible citizens to take advantage of the opportunity.

He explained that eligible voters could now register at their respective INEC Ward Collation Centres across the 329 wards in the state, with two wards in each local government area attended to daily.

”From Monday, the 2nd of February, it will be at the ward for 50 days. We will go through the various wards. We take 50 days of serving the public at the ward level.

”Eligible citizens can now register at the respective INEC Ward Collation Centres in the 329 Wards across the State, with two wards in each LGA serviced daily,” Ojeme said.

The INEC spokesperson clarified that during the 50-day period, only the commission’s state headquarters registration centre would remain operational, while registration activities at the 31 local government area offices would be suspended.

“The state registration centre will be running, but the local government registration centres will move to the wards, attending to two wards each day. After 50 days, we will return to the local government offices for the remaining days for this phase,” he said.

?Ojeme added that the INEC Voter Enrolment Devices currently allocated to each local government would be rotated among the wards to ensure full coverage.

“No ward will be left out of the exercise. The IVEDs will be rotated across the wards,” he said.

He further stressed that only approved Ward Collation Centres would be used for the exercise, warning that the commission would not tolerate the use of unauthorised locations.

“Only ward collation centres will be used as registration centres. The commission will not tolerate taking the IVED to unauthorised centres,” Ojeme warned.

To ensure transparency, he disclosed that INEC had approved a timetable for the rotation of the enrolment devices, directing Electoral Officers to publicise it widely.

“The commission has approved a timetable for the rotation of the IVED, and Electoral Officers have been directed to publicise it on all stakeholder platforms so citizens can monitor and report any violations,” he said.

Ojeme urged eligible citizens, especially those in rural communities, to seize the opportunity to register during the exercise.