Kwara central builds voter advantage as registration near 190,000

Kwara Central Senatorial District has maintained a commanding lead in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Kwara State, according to figures in a document sighted by The Informant247.

The data, covering the first and second phases of the exercise, show that Kwara Central recorded a combined total of 72,821 registrants between August and April, accounting for 38.54 percent of the state’s total.

The district’s lead places it well ahead of Kwara South, which recorded 49,861 registrations (26.39 percent), and Kwara North, which posted 48,545 (25.63 percent). An additional 17,714 registrations — 9.37 percent of the total — were completed at the state office.

Altogether, 188,941 new voters were registered across the two phases, reflecting a steady pace of participation since the exercise began in August.

The first phase ran from August to December, followed by the second phase from January to April.

The figures showed a familiar pattern in the state’s electoral dynamics, with Kwara Central — home to the capital, Ilorin — continuing to dominate voter registration.

Analysts attribute the trend to higher population density, better access to registration centres and sustained mobilisation efforts within the district.

Kwara South and Kwara North posted closely matched figures, suggesting a competitive pace between the two districts, though neither has closed the gap with Kwara Central.

With the third phase of the CVR exercise scheduled to begin in May and run through August, attention is expected to shift toward boosting participation in underperforming areas, even as Kwara Central appears poised to consolidate its advantage.

The figures also pointed at Kwara Central’s growing electoral strength, a trend political stakeholders in the Ilorin Emirate say they intend to consolidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It will be recalled that the Ilorin Emirate Political Advisory Council recently said it is targeting one million registered voters through sustained mobilisation across communities in the emirate.

Speaking during a media briefing in Ilorin, the council’s National Coordinator, Dr. Yakub Yahaya Oloriegbe, said the target is based on progress made since the commencement of the CVR exercise in 2025.

The council said it has intensified grassroots engagement involving traditional and religious leaders, youth groups, artisans, transporters and market associations to boost participation.

“With the third phase of the exercise set to begin soon, we are optimistic that our collective efforts will significantly expand our voter base to an average of one million registered voters,” the council said.

It also signalled its political stance ahead of the 2027 elections, stating that the Ilorin Emirate would adopt a unified approach by supporting only political parties and candidates that align with its interests.

Meanwhile, INEC announced the conclusion of the second phase of the CVR exercise nationwide, recording 3,748,704 completed registrations.

According to a statement signed by its Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Etta-Messi, 2,259,288 registrations were completed through the online pre-registration portal, while 1,489,416 were finalised physically at designated centres.

The commission, however, noted that the figures are provisional and subject to verification.

INEC said it has moved to the next stage of the process — the display of the voter register for claims and objections — scheduled nationwide from April 29 to May 5, 2026.

The commission urged Nigerians who registered during the exercise to verify their details and report discrepancies, including duplicate entries and ineligible registrations.

INEC added that maintaining an accurate voter register remains critical to ensuring credible elections as it prepares for subsequent phases of the CVR exercise.