INEC registers 11,839 new voters in Imo

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that its Imo State office has registered 11,839 new voters in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

The commission also disclosed that the registration was suspended in Egbema, in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, due to security concerns.

INEC’s Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, in Imo State, Mrs Emmanuella Ben-Opara, made the disclosure while speaking on a live radio programme, The Brief, on Groove FM in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Thursday.

She said the 11,839 registrants were people who had not previously registered and had probably just attained the age of 18, the constitutional age for voting.

Ben-Opara disclosed that the registration is ongoing across the state, except in Egbema, where there have been reported cases of killings.

However, she added that the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) is active in the state, involving the police and other stakeholders working to ensure the safety of residents and INEC personnel.

The Head of Voter Education and Publicity said, “As of Friday, June 13, 2026, we have registered 11,839 new registrants in Imo State.

“Currently, registration is ongoing throughout the state except in Egbema, where it was temporarily suspended because of reported killings. However, the police have assured us that normalcy has returned, so we are going back there.

“INEC officials are even in Orsu Local Government Area registering people. So, we are all over the state. We urge people who have not registered before to come out and register to vote. If you have relocated, you can transfer your polling unit to your new location. However, people can only vote with their Permanent Voter Cards. Nobody with a Temporary Voter Card will be allowed to vote.”

Also speaking, INEC Public Affairs Officer in Imo State, Dr Maryann Godslight, assured persons with disabilities that adequate provisions had been made to ensure seamless registration and voting during the general elections.

Godslight said voter turnout for the ongoing registration exercise had been significantly higher than in the previous phases.

She said, “The turnout has been massive, much higher than in the previous phases. More than 100 people now turn up daily, especially youths. It is as if someone has convinced them to come and register, or something has inspired them this time, because they are coming out in large numbers, which is highly commendable.

“We have adequate security at all the registration centres, including the rotating centres. We call on people to come out and register to vote because this is the last phase.”