The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final voter register for the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, as announced by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, in a statement from Abuja on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Edo State has a total of 2,629,025 registered voters, while Ondo State has 2,053,061. These registers were approved at a commission meeting in Abuja and include new voters from the recent Continuous Voter Registration, as well as those who successfully transferred their registration from other states to Edo and Ondo.
In Edo, out of the 2,629,025 registered voters, 1,370,061 (52.11 percent) are male, and 1,258,964 (47.89 percent) are female. The youth demographic (18 to 35 years) comprises 983,133 voters (37.4 percent), and the middle-aged group (36 to 49 years) accounts for 914,806 voters. Combined, these two age groups represent 72.2 percent of the electorate in Edo. Additionally, students make up the largest occupational group with 868,764 voters (33.05 percent), and there are 4,199 registered Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), making up 0.16 percent of the voter population. This new register shows a 4.9 percent increase from the 2023 General Elections figure of 2,501,081.
In Ondo, the registered voters now total 2,053,061, with 1,034,006 (50.36 percent) males and 1,034,964 (47.89 percent) females. The youth demographic accounts for 726,944 voters (35.41 percent), while the middle-aged group comprises 721,982 voters (35.17 percent). Together, these groups make up 70.57 percent of the electorate in Ondo. Students are the largest occupational group with 694,938 voters (33.85 percent), and there are 1,782 registered PWDs (0.09 percent). This new register marks a 3.0 percent increase from the 2023 General Elections figure of 1,191,344.
The detailed voter register, including breakdowns by Local Government Areas, gender, age, occupation, and disability, is available on the INEC website and social media platforms. INEC will soon announce the timetable for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards in both states. (NAN)