The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in the Federal Capital Territory by four days to allow more residents register before the deadline.
INEC announced the extension in a statement on Wednesday, October 8, signed by the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi.
The decision, according to the commission, followed its Third Quarterly Meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners held on Tuesday, where ongoing electoral activities were reviewed.
“Following the review, the Commission approved a four-day extension of the ongoing Ward-level CVR exercise in the FCT,” the statement read.
“Consequently, the exercise which was earlier scheduled to end today, Wednesday, 8th October 2025, will now continue until Sunday, 12th October 2025,” it added.
The registration exercise, which began on September 5, has so far recorded 55,346 new voter registrations across the FCT.
According to INEC, this includes 38,528 online pre-registrations and 16,818 completed physical registrations.
“This impressive turnout underscores the growing civic awareness among residents and the effectiveness of devolving the exercise to the grassroots,” the commission said.
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INEC also reiterated that the online pre-registration option remains suspended in the FCT. It explained that all pre-registrants must complete their registration in person at designated centres to ensure the authenticity of their records.
“As earlier announced, the online pre-registration option in the FCT remains suspended to enable all pre-registrants to complete their registration in person at the designated centres,” Eta-Messi stated.
“This measure ensures the validity of their records in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.”
The electoral umpire encouraged all eligible residents who have not yet registered to take advantage of the extension. It also urged voters wishing to transfer their registration within or into the FCT to do so before the new deadline.
However, the commission cautioned against multiple registrations, describing it as “a punishable offence under the law.”
INEC assured that the list and addresses of all registration centres remain available on its website and official social media platforms.
The FCT Area Council elections are set to hold on Saturday, February 21, 2026. Last month, INEC released the final list of candidates from 17 political parties cleared to contest the elections.
A total of 68 positions are up for grabs, including six chairmanship and 62 councillorship seats across the six area councils of Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali, and Abaji.