Osogbo – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deployed its Voter Enrollment Devices (IVED) to communities across Osun State for the second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Mutiu Agboke, disclosed this on Monday during an extended stakeholders’ meeting on the second phase of the CVR held in Osogbo.
Agboke said the second phase of the exercise commenced on January 5 and is expected to run until April 17, noting that the commission had introduced a new strategy aimed at expanding grassroots participation.
“Let me quickly inform you that the current phase two of this CVR has come with a unique and far-reaching benefit with the approval of a 50-day rotational deployment of the IVED among the scattered communities in each local government area, subject to stakeholders’ endorsement,” he said.
According to the REC, the initiative has significantly improved inclusion by taking voter registration services closer to eligible citizens, particularly those in remote and underserved communities.
He explained that the deployment of the IVED would enhance accessibility, reduce transportation costs for prospective registrants, and help decongest registration centres, thereby improving efficiency and service delivery.
Agboke added that anchoring the deployment process on the endorsement of stakeholders at the local government level had strengthened transparency, local ownership and collective responsibility for the success of the exercise.
“The innovation will also boost public confidence in the registration process and reinforce INEC’s commitment to credibility, inclusivity, innovation and intuition aimed at easing the CVR exercise for the public,” he said.
The REC stressed that the CVR exercise remains free of charge and warned members of the public against patronising touts. He urged residents to report any attempt at extortion or misconduct by INEC officials to the commission through established channels.
“The voter registration exercise is not a contest among political parties but a national civic responsibility,” Agboke said, calling on political parties, candidates and their supporters to maintain peace before, during and after the CVR exercise.
INEC’s deployment of the IVED is part of broader efforts to ensure wider participation and credible voter registration ahead of the 2026 governorship election in Osun State.
